Darnell Washington injury: Steelers massive tight end suffers broken arm in loss to Browns
Washington's injury contributed to Pittsburgh's ugly offensive performance
By
Bryan DeArdo
•
1 min read
CLEVELAND -- The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't just lose an ugly game Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, they also lost Darnell Washington after the massive tight end sustained an injury during the first quarter. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said following Pittsburgh's 13-6 loss that Washington has broken his arm.
Washington was seen after the game wearing a cast and sling over his injured arm. His availability moving forward is not currently known. The Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens next week in a game that will determine which team will win the AFC North and the playoff spot that comes with it.
Washington caught both of his targets for 15 yards prior to exiting Sunday's game. A former third-round pick, the 6-foot-7 Washington was in the midst of his most productive season to date with a career-high 31 catches through 16 games.
"Yeah, Darnell is a big part of what we do," Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said when asked about how Washington's absence impacted the offense.
If Washington is out for a significant portion of time, Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth would likely have a bigger role in the offense. Neither player, however, is as good as a blocker as Jones, who is often used in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's offense as a pseudo tackle.
Along with Washington, the Steelers played the entire game without DK Metcalf, who also won't face the Ravens next week as part of his two-game suspension stemming from last week's altercation with a Lions fan. The absences of both players clearly had a negative impact on Rodgers, who threw for just 168 yards on 21 of 39 passing.
"We didn't execute very well on third downs," Rodgers said. "I didn't have a very good game. Didn't run the ball early like we wanted to. Pretty bad on third down."
One Steelers offensive player who did have a good game Sunday was Jaylen Warren, who rushed for a game-high 64 yards on 12 carries. Warren is among Pittsburgh's skill players who will have to pick up the slack even more next week with Metcalf out and Washington's status in question.
"Nobody's panicking," Warren said after Sunday's game when asked about Pittsburgh's current predicament. "I'm not worried. We'll be good."
