The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled out left tackle Broderick Jones for their game against the Buffalo Bills after he suffered a neck injury against the Chicago Bears.
While blocking a Bears defender on a broken play, Jones was yanked by his helmet, causing his neck to jerk.
Jones went down to the ground in pain and stayed down for a significant time period. Eventually, he got up and walked off the field without the assistance of trainers.
Jones was described as having a stringer and did not return to the game. Veteran swing tackle Calvin Anderson replaced him and finished the game, and the concern for Jones was there.
It is unknown how much it could affect him heading into the future, and if it could evolve into a more serious situation, but Jones was moving around after the game and was in good spirits. However, Jones being ruled out this quickly is not a great sign.
The same injury has taken some serious time away from other players in their careers.
It ended the careers of safeties Trenton Thompson and Ryan Watts, who were once promising safeties for the Steelers. Asante Samuel Jr., the team’s new cornerback, had surgery for recurrent stingers.
Jones will hope it never turns into something like that, but stingers that linger are often rooted in a deeper issue that would have to be addressed.