Steelers' Cole Holcomb Suffers Excruciating Potential Season-Ending Injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers played on Thursday Night Football in Week 9, beating the Tennessee Titans by a score of 20-16. Despite getting the much needed victory, the Steelers also suffered some losses in the game. Montravius Adams suffered an ankle injury and did not return to the game, while inside linebacker, Cole Holcomb suffered a knee injury when he was hit in the leg by Keanu Neal when both were trying to make a tackle. 

Steelers' Holcomb Suffers Gruesome Injury 

At the end of the first quarter in the Steelers victory over the Titans, Holcomb went down in excruciating pain after a collision with Neal. He needed to be carted off and the live broadcast did not feel it was necessary to show the replay. This was similar to the Steelers Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns when they did not show a replay of Nick Chubb's injury because it was so gruesome. No official diagnosis has been made on Holcomb, but it looked like it was a very serious knee injury.

It can be assumed an announcement will be made soon once Holcomb undergoes testing to see his exact diagnosis, but from the looks of the injury it can be assumed he will miss an extensive amount of time, possibly the rest of the season. Head Coach, Mike Tomlin seemed to be shaken up about Holcomb's injury in his postgame press conference. 

"Cole Holcomb has a serious injury. Our thoughts and prayers are with him man. I'll have an update I'm sure the next time we come together regarding the nature of that. Obviously we're really disappointed and our heart goes out to Cole."

Holcomb has a history with injuries in his career, but never anything of this severity. He missed the majority of the 2022 season with the Washington Commanders due to a knee injury and then a foot surgery that he underwent. Holcomb signed with the Steelers during the offseason prior to the 2023 season, and has been a very consistent linebacker for the Steelers as he has been effective in coverage and in the run game.

Assuming Holcomb will be out for an extended period of time, the Steelers starting inside linebackers will be Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts. Both Alexander and Roberts were added through free agency in the 2023 offseason along with Holcomb. Tomlin has said in the preseason and throughout the year that all three are starting-caliber players, and it is a spot the Steelers were clearly focused on in the offseason. 

The depth behind Holcomb is strong, as Alexander secured the game-clinching interception in the final seconds on Thursday night against the Titans. Roberts has been praised for his ability to stop the run as well, which is something the Steelers have struggled with in 2023. Going forward, the Steelers will miss having Holcomb on the field but the players on the depth chart behind him will be able to fill his role nicely. 

Steelers fans every where are wishing Holcomb a speedy recovery and are thinking of him as he goes through this horrific injury.