INQUISITR.COM / Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers Rumors: Grim Injury Update For Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, DeAngelo Williams

By Phillip Dengler
Published on: 09:39 PST, Jan 15, 2016

Rumors regarding the injuries for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown, and running back DeAngelo Williams have been conflicting over the course of the week, and it appears as though there is finally some clarity. Unfortunately, for the Steelers and their fans, the update is not what they wanted to hear.

While the latest rumors say that Roethlisberger is likely to be in the lineup against the Denver Broncos, Brown and Williams will miss Sunday’s playoff game. For an offense that already lost running back Le’Veon Bell earlier in the season, this is absolutely devastating news. Here are the latest injury updates on Roethlisberger, Brown, and Williams.

Ben Roethlisberger – Expected to Play

Everyone in the NFL knows that Roethlisberger is one of the toughest quarterbacks in the league, and it is no surprise that he is going to attempt to play against the Broncos. ProFootballTalk reported that Roethlisberger finally threw a few passes in practice today after being limited earlier in the week to just handing the ball off.

While he is listed as questionable, there is a chance that decision could change after the Steelers evaluate him on Saturday. His shoulder injury apparently limited him from throwing the ball down the field after he returned to the Bengals game last week, and he is likely to have similar limitations even if he is able to suit up against the Broncos. To make matters worse, he will not even have veterans Antonio Brown and DeAngelo Williams to help take the pressure off of him.

While he has had a solid season, wide receiver Martavis Bryant is nowhere near as talented as Brown, but he is going to have to step up if the Steelers have any hopes of winning. Wide receiver Markus Wheaton will also be expected to carry the load with Bryant. Without his best receiving threat in Brown, Roethlisberger is going to have to play an almost perfect game of football, which seems next to impossible with his shoulder injury.

Antonio Brown – OUT

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was expected to play Sunday against the Broncos. Concussions are tricky though, and the NFL takes their protocol very seriously. While Brown would love to be on the field Sunday, Steelers.com reports that he has not satisfied the concussion protocol requirements, and will miss the important divisional round playoff game.

Brown apparently did make progress this week, so if the Steelers defeat the Broncos, he should have a chance to return for the AFC Championship. With 136 receptions and 1,834 yards, Brown had one of the greatest seasons for a wide receiver in NFL history. And this came with Roethlisberger missing time with injuries, so the loss of Brown makes the Steelers offense considerably weaker.

DeAngelo Williams – OUT

After Le’Veon Bell was suspended for the first two games of the season, Steelers fans did not have a ton of confidence in Williams. While he was once a great player, the 32-year-old running back appeared to have slowed down considerably over his last few years as a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Williams somehow found his legs again, and has been nothing short of remarkable after Bell went down with a season-ending injury. His 11 rushing touchdowns are the most since 2008, and 907 rushing yards are the most since 2009. While Steelers fans hoped that Williams would be able to return for Sunday’s game, NFL.com reports that he is not expected to play because of his foot injury.

While the rumors originally said that Brown and Williams could be in the starting lineup for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is now apparent that both of them will need another week to heal. With a less than 100 percent Ben Roethlisberger and his best weapons on the bench, the Steelers are in big trouble against the stout Denver Broncos defense.

[Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]

Share this article: Pittsburgh Steelers Rumors: Grim Injury Update For Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, DeAngelo Williams
Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh Steelers Antonio Brown
More from Inquisitr