Stapleton to Have Surgery on Knee; Out for An Indefinite Period of Time

Ouch.

The Steelers O-line got away with not all being on the same page last season due to various reasons, and now in 2009, it looks like injuries will be the reason the unit is going to have to shuffle around.

The team suffered a solid hurt on the O-line, as guard Darnell Stapleton will have arthroscopic surgery today on his left knee and will be out for an indefinite period of time.

Coach Mike Tomlin did not put a timetable on Stapleton’s return, but recovery from such procedures usually takes two to four weeks.

Stapleton has missed the past four days of practice and was replaced by backup tackle Trai Essex. The hurt started during the spring and got worse once he reported to training camp and began practicing.

“It’s tough,” Justin Hartwig said of Stapleton. “He’s a guy that really stepped up for us big last year. Trai Essex can step it up and play, too. But it still remains to be seen what’s injured with Darnell. He’s a real important player for us.”