The Pittsburgh Steelers had a great opportunity to wrap up the AFC North division in Week 17, but they threw it away by suffering a 13-6 loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns. As if things couldn’t get worse for the team, head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed some devastating news regarding tight end Darnell Washington’s injury status.
Washington left the team’s win over the Browns early with an arm injury, and when a player doesn’t end up returning to a game because of an injury, that’s typically not a good sign. Sure enough, initial reports indicated that Washington suffered a broken arm, and on Tuesday, Tomlin confirmed that the team’s unique offensive weapon had undergone surgery, which will end his season.
“Steelers Mike Tomlin says TE Darnell Washington had surgery on his broken arm this morning and is out for the season,” the NFL’s official X account wrote on Tuesday.
In his third season with Pittsburgh, Washington has become a key piece of the team’s offense, catching 31 passes for 364 yards and a touchdown. Washington’s unique size (6’7, 264 lbs) makes him a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses, as he can make plays as a receiver, while also essentially turning himself into an extra offensive lineman when he’s called upon to block.
Add in the absence of DK Metcalf, and the Steelers are going to be shorthanded in Week 18 when they take the field for their do-or-die matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. With the division on the line, this game will be played on Sunday Night Football, as kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.
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