Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb suffers gruesome knee injury in win over the Titans as head coach Mike Tomlin admits problem looks ‘serious’

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb was carted off the field during the first quarter of Thursday’s game against the Tennessee Titans with a left knee injury.

The Steelers quickly shut Holcomb out for the rest of the game.

After their 20-16 win over the Titans, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin admitted the problem looked “serious.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with him,” Tomlin said.

Holcomb was injured while chasing Tennessee’s DeAndre Hopkins on a 29-yard gain late in the opening quarter. Pittsburgh safety Keanu Neal was also in pursuit and his left leg slammed into Holcomb’s leg as he passed by.

Holcomb was injured while chasing Tennessee’s DeAndre Hopkins for a 29-yard gain

His leg bent awkwardly after the contact. He immediately grabbed his left knee after falling to the ground.

Holcomb is in his first season with the Steelers after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Washington Commanders. He had 52 tackles and two forced fumbles entering the game.

However, he wasn’t the only player to be taken off that night. Titans receiver Treylon Burks was also removed from the game after taking a bad fall late in the fourth quarter.

Burks attempted a leaping fourth-down grab down the left sideline but saw the ball slip from his grasp. He landed hard outside the track and appeared to be unconscious.

Medical personnel from both teams came out to treat Burks, the 18th overall pick in the 2022 draft. His face mask was cut off and he was placed on a spine brace as players from both teams knelt on the nearby Acrisure Stadium turf. Burks appeared to be able to wiggle his toes as he was loaded onto the cart.

The Titans said Burks had full movement of all his limbs, according to the broadcast on Amazon TV.

Burks suffered a concussion as a rookie in Philadelphia when he was fouled out while making a touchdown grab in a blowout loss to the Eagles.