Pittsburgh Steelers fans feared the worst when rising second-year wide receiver Chase Claypool left practice late with a seemingly serious injury. However, signs since the moment that 23-year-old went down and hobbled off the practice have indicated that he might not be as banged-up as originally thought.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Steelers believe that Claypool did not suffer a serious injury in practice Tuesday. A later report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that the Pittsburgh wideout sustained a “minor ankle sprain.”
The various reports are welcome news for the team and the fanbase as Claypool is expected to be a major part of the Steelers offense come September. An ankle sprain will likely sideline him for a short while, but he should be able to get back to full strength in the near future.
#Steelers WR Chase Claypool did not suffer a significant injury in practice today, sources say. Major sigh of relief for Pittsburgh. We’ll see what the resulting diagnosis is but definite relief after how it looked.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 17, 2021
Early diagnosis is that Steelers WR Chase Claypool suffered a “minor ankle sprain” today and “should be fine”, per source. https://t.co/4wByFeOfA4
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 17, 2021
Concern around the Steelers training facility was high after Claypool went down to the field during practice. At first glance, it appeared as though he couldn’t put much weight on his legs when being helped off the field by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and tight end Eric Ebron.
However, a glimmer of hope emerged just a few minutes later. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor shared that the young Steelers wide receiver was actually able to put some weight on both legs when coming off the field.
“Clarification after video review of the aftermath: Claypool walked off field putting some weight on legs/lower body, still had arms around Ben Roethlisberger and Eric Ebron to get some assistance off the field. Can’t see specific injury, just went down hard after attempting catch,” Pryor said.
Claypool was one of the brightest spots of the Steelers high-powered offense last season in his rookie year out of Notre Dame. He played in all 16 games and made 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns.
Once he receives more information about his injury diagnosis, Claypool can adjust accordingly and work to get back on the field as soon as possible.
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