Steelers coach suffered major injury in sideline collision

Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith had a painful end to Sunday’s 23-19 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Smith was accidentally run over when Steelers defensive back Damomtae Kazee was shoved into the sidelines by Packers offensive lineman Zach Tom on a late hit following Kazee’s game-clinching interception.

The hit ended up sparking a mini-brawl on the Steelers sideline as the game wrapped.

It was a painful looking play and it turns out it had a painful result. It was revealed on Thursday that the 70-year-old Smith tore his rotator cuff as a result of the play and will require surgery. Smith said he is going to wait on the surgery until after the season.

Not only did Smith tear his rotator cuff, he said he tore it in three different places.

In speaking with the Pittsburgh media on Thursday he compared Sunday’s collision to some of the other big collisions he has had throughout his career.“I got hit in college in a Clemson-Georgia Tech game, got a tibial plateau fracture, got a plate and six screws in my knee. … I had that hit (at Steelers’) training camp with (Antonio Brown) when I broke my ribs and vertebrae in my back, my finger. That hurt. “This one hurt. I’ve got a torn rotator cuff in three spots. But I am good.”

Smith will be on the sidelines for the Steelers when they play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon in a huge AFC North game.