Injuries to players in non-contact situations are never a good thing. That left the Steelers a little shaken when two players went down with injuries on Wednesday that could be deemed serious enough to at least keep them out until the start of training camp.
First, offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins suffered a left knee injury that caused him to be taken off the field on a cart. He was later seen on crutches with a brace on his left knee. ESPN later reported Hawkins had suffered a torn quad.
Then, at nearly the same spot on the field, tight end Jake McGee appeared to roll an ankle. He was in a walking boot later in the day. But reports surfaced later that it's feared to be a torn Achilles' tendon.
Steelers TE Jake McGee suffered what’s believed to be a torn Achilles today, sources say. McGee was on Pittsburgh’s practice squad last year but there was talk he could make the roster this year. Tough one for him today.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 30, 2018
"That sucks," Landry Jones said. "It's a crappy thing about this sport. There's no other sport where an injury is part of the game. You're going to get hurt at some point. It's a violent game. During this time, you shouldn't have guys go down, but we obviously did. It's tough to see (it happen) to a couple of young guys who were playing really well."
Hawkins, a third-year player, missed his entire rookie season after the Steelers selected him in the fourth round out of LSU. But he returned last season and saw action as a extra tight end in certain situations.
He was expected to be in the mix to help replace Chris Hubbard as the team's third offensive tackle after Hubbard signed a $36 million deal in free agency with Cleveland.
McGee spent last season on the Steelers' practice squad after joining the team midway through training camp. He made a name for himself in the preseason with his blocking but showed off nice receiving skills throughout the season while working on the practice squad. He was expected to battle Xavier Grimble for the team's third tight end spot this season.
definitely sucks but i will always stay positive in the negative times. i appreciate the words from everyone that has reached out. https://t.co/h4sPz0aIaa
— Jake McGee (@JakeOvaTheWorld) May 30, 2018