Tre’Davious White left the field late in the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers after making a hard hit, suffering what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
The Buffalo Bills cornerback ran several steps after making a hit for a loss, then stumbled to the turf. He appeared to be favoring his shoulder after the hit.
[UPDATE: White was able to return to the game in the second quarter. The extent of his injury remains unknown.]
ESPN reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques noted on Twitter that White went immediately to the sidelines to be evaluated after the hit. The Bills later reported on Twitter that he was questionable to return.
“Bills CB Tre’Davious White walks off the field under his own power after appearing to injure his shoulder on a tackle. He’s in the medical tent now on Buffalo’s sideline,” he noted.
Losing White would be a significant blow to the Buffalo Bills. He has been a cornerstone of the team’s defense and one of the best cornerbacks in the league this season. Just before suffering the injury, White made his fifth interception of the year, good for second in the NFL.
White’s play had been a major part of the surprising season for the Bills, shutting down a number of opposing wide receivers as the team moved to 9-4. As NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger noted, White was especially strong against Dallas Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper on the biggest stage for the Bills in years, the Thanksgiving Day game.
“Amari got a few catches, but there were no touchdown passes,” Baldinger told BuffaloBills.com .
“In Week 11, here’s Courtland Sutton and he shut him out. He took out Odell Beckham and shut him down. He takes the challenge on and he’s got the skill set. He’s got a unique blend of talent. He doesn’t guess. He gets physical when he has to. He’s a really smart player and he knows how to play the ball in the air. It’s hard not to be impressed by how he plays the game.”
White also shut down Courtland Sutton of the Denver Broncos the week prior, holding him to just one catch for 27 yards on eight targets in a 20-3 win for the Bills.
Here’s a look at the shoulder injury to Tre White. #Bills pic.twitter.com/TorD6DzGUF
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) December 16, 2019
Sunday night’s game was also the most important of the season for the Bills to date. The team could clinch just its second playoff berth in the last 20 years with a win and would also keep the Bills within one game of the New England Patriots’ division lead with the teams facing off next week. Because the Steelers are also in the wild card hunt, a win could also help the Bills seize control of the No. 5 seed and what would be a slightly easier path through the playoffs.
The Bills did not provide any additional updates on the injury after White’s return on Sunday, but he did not appear to be hampered in any way or favoring the shoulder. A full update will likely come on Monday after the team’s doctors have a chance to evaluate the injury.
