Jan 9, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) hits Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) during the fourth quarter in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Paul Brown Stadium. Burfict was called for a personal foul on the play. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown was ruled out for Sunday’s divisional playoff game at Denver because of a head injury.
The Steelers said Brown will not play even before the team took the field for the final time this week Friday. A full injury report – including the status of running back DeAngelo Williams and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger – was scheduled to be released following that workout, the team said.
If Brown and Williams miss the game, it would be the first time in NFL playoff history that a team takes the field without its regular-season leader in receiving and rushing.
Brown was injured Saturday in a helmet-to-helmet collision with Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who drew a three-game suspension from the NFL for the hit in a testy game that escalated due to overaggressive contact and post-whistle jousting on both sides.
Replacing Brown, who had 136 receptions for 1,834 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season, will not be a one-man job.
“You can never just plug someone in for A.B. because A.B. is pretty special,” Roethlisberger said. “We’ve had guys step up all year. If A.B. can’t go then we have faith and confidence that the next guy will step up and be the best player they can be.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said the “next man up” philosophy is merely a bunch of words unless the players buy into it.
Second-year receiver Martavis Bryant, who was second on the team in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns despite missing the first five games of the season, will likely get more looks but it’s Markus Wheaton who will find himself in Brown’s roving role in the formation most of the game.
The Steelers beat the Broncos, 34-27, Dec. 20 at Heinz Field.
Brown led the Steelers last week with seven receptions for 119 yards and had 16-189 with two touchdowns in the Dec. 20 game against the Broncos. He was targeted 193 times in 590 pass attempts by the Steelers this season.
