Brown is out indefinitely with significant contusion
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Antonio Brown, the NFL’s leading receiver, has a “significant contusion” on his lower left leg, but said it’s “too early to tell” how long he will be out.
Tomlin said Brown will not play Christmas Day in Houston, but added, “We’ll see what the future holds at the top of next week.”
Brown was injured on a play in which he dropped a pass in the end zone Sunday against the New England Patriots and collided with cornerback Eric Rowe. Brown was taken to Presbyterian Hospital with what described by the Steelers as a calf injury.
“I don’t want to frame it any other way,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side.
Brown leads the NFL with 102 receptions, 1,533 receiving yards and catches of 20plus yards (27).
The previous time the Steelers played a game without Brown, wide receiver Martavis Bryant had a monster game, catching nine passes for 154 yards and gaining 40 yards on two rushes in a 2015 postseason against Denver.
Bryant had two big catches against the Patriots, laying out for a 39-yarder that set up a touchdown and catching a 4-yard touchdown with one hand.
“We have 11 guys,” said Tomlin, referring to Brown’s absence. “It’s a team job. He does things from time to time that are unique that others can’t. That usually has nothing to do with the nature of the play-calling. It’s a unique skill set that he applies to schematics. It didn’t change how we functioned or what we needed to do from a playselection or offensive-personality standpoint. We just acknowledge that Antonio is a special guy, but you guys know that.”
Conner out; Ridley in
Rookie running back James Conner will have knee surgery Wednesday morning to repair a torn medial collateral ligament and has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
To replace Conner on the roster, the Steelers signed former Patriots running back Stevan Ridley, who started 25 of 52 games from 2011-14 for New England.
Ridley’s best season was 2012 when he rushed for 1,263 and 12 touchdowns in 16 games.
The Steelers are the seventh team for Ridley since he left the Patriots after the 2014 season in which he sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in Week 6 against Buffalo.
Ridley was with the Denver Broncos in training camp but released in the final cut.
The Minnesota Vikings signed him in October when rookie Dalvin Cook was injured but released him four days later.
More on injuries
Cornerback Joe Haden, who returned to practice last week but was inactive against the Patriots, is expected to return and start against the Texans. Tomlin also said tight end Vance McDonald (shoulder), who did not play against the Patriots, could return as well.
Without Haden, one of the bright spots has been the development of rookie cornerback Cam Sutton, the team’s No. 3 draft choice, who played 57 of the 60 total snaps against the Patriots.
Tomlin said guard Ramon Foster reported concussionlike symptons Monday and is in concussion protocol.