Steelers Lose Special Teams Captain to Season-Ending Injury
Steelers safety and special teams captain Miles Killebrew will be out for the season due to a severe knee injury that required surgery. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said, “Miles is out for the season. Miles had knee surgery that was deemed a success. Certainly, he’s facing rehabilitation at this juncture.” Tomlin added, “Our heart aches for Miles. Obviously, he’s a significant component of what we do.”
Killebrew got injured when the Steelers played the Cleveland Browns in Week Six at Acrisure Stadium. He injured his right knee during the second quarter of the game. Killebrew required assistance leaving the field and was taken to the blue medical tent on the sideline. He later rode a cart to the locker room. Many people believe that the terrible field conditions at the stadium are to blame for his injury. Killebrew was placed on injured reserve just hours before the Steelers played the Cincinnati Bengals in Week Seven.
Killebrew had three solo tackles and two assisted tackles this season. The Detroit Lions chose him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He’s currently in his fifth season with the Steelers. In 2021, he became the first player in the Steelers franchise to block multiple punts in the same season since 1960. Since 2022, Killebrew has been voted the Steelers’ special teams captain every season. He was named first-team All-Pro in 2023. Killebrew was also named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-NFL team in 2023. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2023 and 2024. Throughout his career, Killebrew has amassed 166 tackles, one forced fumble, two interceptions, and one touchdown. He’s recorded 2,876 snaps on special teams during his time in the NFL.
Killebrew is a core player in the Steelers’ special team’s unit, serving as the personal protector throughout his career. Tomlin spoke about how the team will handle his absence and delegate his responsibilities to other players for the remainder of this season. He said, “It’s never one man. It’s probably a collection of men that have to step up when you’re faced with a challenge like that.”
