Ahead of their Thursday Night Football matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers have placed safety and special teams captain Miles Killebrew on the Reserve/Injured List (IR) with a significant knee injury, per NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. The two-time Pro Bowler will miss a minimum of four games, though early indications suggest his absence could extend further.
Killebrew sustained the injury during Sunday’s 23–9 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. The incident occurred on a Browns kickoff return shortly after Chris Boswell’s third field goal gave Pittsburgh a 9–0 lead. The 32-year-old went down clutching his right knee and was unable to put weight on his leg. Teammates surrounded him as trainers attended to him, and he was later carted to the locker room after a brief evaluation in the blue medical tent.
Head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed earlier in the week that the injury was “significant.” The Steelers later placed Killebrew on IR, ruling him out not only for the Bengals game but at least through Week 11. The team has yet to make a corresponding roster move, leaving one open spot on their 53-man roster heading into Thursday’s contest.
Killebrew's injury reopened Pandora’s box of complaints about the turf woes at Acrisure Stadium, which several players, including defensive captain Cam Heyward and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, described as substandard. Multiple players reportedly raised the issue with the NFL Players Association, expressing safety concerns following Killebrew’s non-contact injury.
Killebrew is in his 10th NFL season and fifth with Pittsburgh after spending five years with the Detroit Lions, who selected him 111th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Southern Utah. Since joining the Steelers in 2021, he has been the anchor of their special teams, reaping two Pro Bowl selections and one First-Team All-Pro honor (2023). He has appeared in 151 games in his career, recording 75 defensive tackles (60 solo) and 91 special teams tackles, including 70 solo hits.
Losing Killebrew is a major blow to a Pittsburgh team currently 4–1 and leading the AFC North, and currently on a three-game winning streak.
While the Steelers worked out former All-Pro George Odum earlier this week as a potential reinforcement, the immediate plan appears to be managing Killebrew’s absence by committee.
