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While cornerback Joe Haden was the only player forced from the field early due to injury on Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, very little has been heard from the team or Haden about the severity of the problem since his hamstring injury was first reported.
Declining to speak to the press at any length after the game, Haden merely confirmed he was due to have an MRI on Monday, offering little else of substance to allay the fears of Steelers Nation. However, if a report from Jeremy Fowler on Monday is to be believed, the injury might not be as significant as first imagined.
Steelers CB Joe Haden has a mild (grade one) hamstring pull, per source. That’s a good sign for the Steelers, but they won’t push it. He’s not a lock for Week 2 matchup with Chiefs unless it heals correctly early in the week. Early signs are positive, though.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 10, 2018
As per Google, ever reliable when it comes to medical diagnosis, a Grade-1 hamstring pull can take anywhere from two days to two weeks to heal. With the Steelers set to face the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field in five days, that would seem to leave Haden questionable for Sunday but probable for Week 3.
Cameron Sutton was the next man up on the depth chart against the Browns and he would figure to be the starter versus the Chiefs if the veteran cornerback cannot play. Haden’s level of participation in practice this week will determine his availability in Week 2, as Mike Tomlin might say, and he’s likely to be characterized as day-to-day when Tomlin addresses the media on Tuesday.
For what it’s worth, members of the press who saw Haden at the team facilities on Monday reported no obvious signs of injury, nor any visible limp.
Joe Haden showed no sign of limp as he walked through locker room. Members of secondary are confident in Cam Sutton if he has to start against Chiefs
— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) September 10, 2018
Joe Haden just breezes through Steelers LR. Still waiting on MRI results. No limp.
— Will Graves (@WillGravesAP) September 10, 2018