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Steelers’ Danny Smith Suffered Injury in Packers Brawl

Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith took a nasty hit against the Packers.

Stephen Thompson

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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers already had a win in hand but safety Damontae Kazee wanted to extend the game and enjoy the moment a little more. Unfortunately, his celebratory sprint after coming up with the game-winning interception against the Packers came at the expense of special teams coordinator Danny Smith. 

Kazee was racing down the sideline, he was knocked out of bounds by Packers offensive lineman Zach Tom and he and Kazee went barrelling into the Steelers bench and Smith, who fell on his shoulder and suffered a nasty injury.  

"This one hurt," Smith said. "I got a torn rotator cuff in three spots. But I’m good.” 

Smith will need surgery, he said, but that can wait until the end of the year. The Steelers are dealing with a laundry list of injuries that have trickled down to affect his special teams units and he's got to help get some of the practice squad elevations up to speed. 

Smith added that he's grateful for tight end Rodney Williams, who helped pull him away from a pile of bodies when he couldn't get up himself. 

"He’s done a good job and not only that," Smith said. "But I’m going to have a hard time sitting him down. I need him with me."

He's taken plenty of hard hits in his career as a football coach, but this one was as brutal as any he's taken. But Smith was sure he's taken a valuable lesson. 

“I’ve been hit a lot and I’ve been hit hard," Smith said. "I’ve got a lot of metal in my body. I’ve got to learn how to get the hell out of the way.” 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper. He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press. During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general. 

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