Three starting-caliber Pittsburgh Steelers players left Sunday’s win because of lower-body injuries and did not return.
Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith suffered a groin injury late during the second quarter of a 20-10 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. No. 3 outside cornerback Cory Trice had left during the first quarter because of a hamstring injury, and No. 2 running back Jaylen Warren did not have a carry over the final 25 minutes.
“I pulled him from the game,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Warren. “It didn’t look like he was running smoothly. We’ll evaluate him.”
Tomlin did not provide specifics on any of the injuries, but Warren suffered a hamstring injury during the preseason that was limiting him for four weeks before the week of preparation headed into Sunday’s game.
Trice’s injury almost was very costly because the Steelers elected not to activate the player who had been serving as their No. 4 outside cornerback, Darius Rush. That meant practice-squad elevation James Pierre — signed five days prior — had to enter the game on defense when starter Donte Jackson briefly was forced out of the game in the second quarter because of an apparent arm injury. Jackson returned.
Another player who left the game but ultimately returned — albeit after a much more lengthy absence — was veteran receiver Van Jefferson. Jefferson suffered an eye injury during the first quarter and did not re-enter the game until the fourth quarter.
As at cornerback, the Steelers’ constructed their gameday lineup one receiver shorter than usual. They made rookie Roman Wilson a healthy scratch and did not make any practice-squad elevations (they had elevated the since-injured Ben Skowronek for the first two games of the season).
That left the Steelers with only four wide receivers against the Chargers — only three for a large portion of the game.
