In the NFL preseason, the results of the games are often less important than the post-game injury report. That could be the case for the Steelers, who lost 14-3 to the Minnesota Vikings in the Hall of Fame Game on Sunday night, and also lost kicker Shaun Suisham to an injury.
Suisham was injured making a tackle in on the opening kickoff of the third quarter. The Steelers announced that he had suffered a left knee injury and was questionable to return. He did not kick again in the game. Suisham is a right-footed kicker, so his left leg is his plant leg.
After the game, head coach Mike Tomlin called the injury “potentially significant” in his news conference.
Shaun Suisham left the Steelers’ locker room in crutches
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) August 10, 2015
The Steelers do not have another kicker in training camp. Punters Brad Wing and Jordan Berry would have kicked if necessary during Sunday’s game.
Suisham was tied for sixth in the NFL in 2014 with a 91% field goal success rate. He was 28-of-29 on field goal of 49 yards or less.
Since 2010, Suisham has made 128-of-141 field goals for the Steelers and has been exceptionally accurate in the Steelers’ notoriously difficult home stadium. Suisham hasn’t missed a game since joining the team in Week 10 in 2010.
In addition to his regular season success, Suisham is 9-for-11 in his Steelers career in the postseason.
