Steelers LB Cole Holcomb reportedly out of hospital, sustained season-ending knee injury vs. Titans

The Pittsburgh Steelers secured a 20-16 victory against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night. However, their triumph came at a cost as linebacker Cole Holcomb suffered a significant left knee injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season.

Holcomb’s injury occurred in the first half of the game while he was pursuing Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who had just made a catch. Steelers safety Keanu Neal attempted a tackle simultaneously, resulting in their legs getting tangled. Holcomb immediately grabbed his left knee in agony on the field. The injury was so severe that the broadcast on Amazon Prime opted not to replay the footage.

The 27-year-old spent Thursday night in the hospital as a precautionary measure and was discharged on Friday morning, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Although he won’t be back on the field this season, a full recovery is expected.

In Holcomb’s absence, Kwon Alexander stepped up and made a critical interception during Tennessee’s final offensive drive.

Head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed the seriousness of the injury in his post-game remarks, but no further details were provided.

Holcomb began his football career with the Washington Commanders, who selected him as the 173rd pick in the 2019 NFL Draft from the University of North Carolina. He initially joined the Chapel Hill team as a walk-on and gradually rose to prominence as an outside linebacker in 2016.

This year, Holcomb joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency, signing a three-year, $18 million contract after four seasons with Washington. He played a significant role in the team’s defense this season, accumulating 54 tackles, two forced fumbles, four tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, and two quarterback hits in eight games.