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Steelers rule RT Zach Banner out vs. Denver as report of torn ACL surfaces

Pittsburgh Steelers right tackle Zach Banner has been ruled out for next week’s game against the Denver Broncos after injuring his knee on Monday. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, he’s reportedly dealing with a season-ending ACL tear.

Banner’s knee gave out during the second half of the Steelers’ 26-16 win over the New York Giants on Monday. Banner was visibly crying as he sat on the bench after leaving the game, obviously suspecting the kind of injury he’s reportedly dealing with. Coach Mike Tomlin said on Monday that the team is awaiting the results of an MRI.

A player sustaining a season-ending injury during first game of the season is always heartbreaking. It’s especially heartbreaking in Banner’s case if he does indeed have an ACL tear. He signed a one-year deal with the Steelers in the offseason in order to prove his worth, and lost weight and worked hard to win a starting spot on the team, which he managed to do.

Zach Banner holds back tears as he rides off the field in a cart.
Zach Banner has been ruled out for Week 2 and could possibly have a season-ending knee injury. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

As Banner said in an interview with Behind the Steel Curtain, he was betting on himself, and it looked like it had a chance to work out in his favor.

“We’re betting on ourselves to have a really, really good year,” Banner said in reference to him and his agent. “A lot of guys get scared. They think about things that you can’t control like injury and stuff like that. It’s not dissing that. I’m not disrespecting that. I’m not saying that’s the bad route to go. But sometimes if you do that, then you set yourself up for failure later and you have regret. So there will be zero regrets.”

Banner is obviously pretty upset about his injury, but he’s already trying to look ahead to his recovery and eventual comeback.

That’s the spirit.

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