Steelers rookie running back Baron Batch was injured in Wednesday's practice, and has torn his ACL, meaning he'll be out for the season.
A popping sound could be heard as Batch pulled up at the end of a run, and he immediately waved over the Steelers' trainers.
Team officials were not sure how severely Batch was injured. Rookie tight end Weslye Saunders posted on Twitter last night that Batch tore his ACL.
That's a terrible shame for Batch. Despite being a seventh-round pick, he was already becoming a fan favorite, and he had a clear shot at a roster spot, given the strong camp he was having and the Steelers' lack of depth at running back.
On his own website (and it's not a Twitter account, it's a website, which is good, because this kid writes really well), Batch confirms that he did tear his ACL, and offers his reaction:
I’ve never been so close to something and then have it pulled away. I felt like my NFL career was within grasp, I could feel it on my fingertips only to have it pulled away and postponed.
ACL tears tend not to be career-ending, so he'll probably be back, but it's a shame that he'll have to wait a year after getting so close to playing in the NFL.
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