The Steelers may go without safety and special teams ace Miles Killebrew for the foreseeable future. Head coach Mike Tomlin announced that Killebrew is dealing with a “significant” knee injury. It’s unclear how much time Killebrew will miss, but the Steelers have already ruled him out for Thursday’s game against the Bengals (via Brooke Pryor of ESPN).
Killebrew, who suffered the injury while covering a kickoff return in a win over the Browns on Sunday, couldn’t put weight on his right leg. He had to be helped off the field and carted to the locker room. The 32-year-old’s absence will be felt on special teams.
A two-time Pro Bowler who’s now in the second season of a two-year, $6.5MM contract, Killebrew has not played at all on defense in 2025. However, the former first-team All-Pro ranks fourth on the team in special teams snaps.
To replace Killebrew, the Steelers could turn to another decorated special teamer in George Odum. The free agent safety visited the team on Tuesday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Odum, 31, divided the first seven years of his career between Indianapolis and San Francisco. He was a first-team All-Pro with the Colts in 2020 and a second-team All-Pro with the 49ers in 2022.
Odum underwent offseason elbow surgery, leading the 49ers to release him in July. Healthy again, he could catch on with the Steelers or another team as we near the second half of the season.
I still believe that with the surname “Killebrew” he should be playing for Minnesota.
Only one sport gets triggered in the mind when the name Killebrew is mentioned and I’m pretty sure it ain’t football.