Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had to share some tough news about punter Cam Johnston after the team’s 18-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. While speaking to the media, Tomlin said Johnston was seriously injured after a punt in the fourth quarter.
“From a health standpoint, Cam Johnston appears to have a serious injury,” Tomlin said, per Sports Illustrated. “I’ll have an update for you the next time we come together.”
The injury happened when Johnston attempted a punt and had his knee buckled when a Falcons player was pushed into him by Steelers safety Miles Killebrew. Johnston finished the day with two punts and an average of 51.5 yards with one inside the 20.
“It’s a shame for him,” Tomlin said. “This guy has been spectacular, man, through team development. He’s an absolute stud, not only in his talents, but his approach to business. So, you know, my heart goes out to him.”
Cam Johnston saw limited action in Steelers’ win over Falcons
Johnston, 32 joined the Steelers this year, signing a three-year, $9 million contract. He spent the previous three seasons with the Houston Texans and led the NFL in punting yards in 2021. Johnston originally signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He was cut from the team before the 2017 season began but re-signed with the Eagles in 2018. Johnston played college football at Ohio State where he helped the team win a national title in 2014 and was named Big Ten Punter of the Year in 2016.
Johnston’s work was limited because the Steelers moved the ball fairly consistently on Sunday despite not scoring a touchdown and only recording 270 yards of total offense. Chris Boswell kicked six field goals while Justin Fields threw for 156 yards and rushed for 57 yards. But the play of the game was TJ Watt who had four tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, three quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery.
“I’m just really appreciative of the effort of our guys,” Tomlin said, per Steelers.com. “Obviously, we weren’t perfect. There were Week 1-like things, particularly early on in the game. We warmed up to it defensively early. We’ve got things to work on, but it’s good to work on your ills with a W, so we’re going to do that.”
