The Pittsburgh Steelers rested most of their starters on Thursday night, in large part to avoid injury, but that did not mean they escaped their matchup against the Carolina Panthers unscathed. Several players fighting for a place on the final 53-man roster left the game early in the second half with injuries, a group that included two young rookie linebackers that many outsiders expect to see on the Opening Day roster.
Ola Adeniyi and Matthew Thomas were perhaps the most notable names unable to finish the game and both were seen receiving medical treatment on the sidelines.