James Harrison Injury: Week 1 In Question

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison may miss the Steelers' first game of the season against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 9. The linebacker underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Wednesday to remove what had been causing his knee to swell up this spring. He is currently on the physically unable to perform list.

While the hope is that Harrison will return for the regular season opener against the Broncos, the Steelers are preparing for the possibility that Harrison will not be available. With the added injury to Harrison's backup, Jason Worilds who is also on the PUP list with an injured wrist, the Steelers may turn to Chris Carter, a fifth-round draft pick in 2011.

Steelers linebackers coach James Butler told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the team may substitute more at the linebacker position to account for the loss of Harrison.

We might just sub a little bit more. That first game is going to be tough, it's going to be in Denver, it's going to be at Mile High. People say there's nothing to the thin air out there but that's [nonsense]; I played there for 10 years so I know what it is. Denver was in our division when I played and there's some acclimation involved, especially in the first half. So we have to have more than one team ready to go out there with our outside guys. I'm still looking to see who that guy is.

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