The Pittsburgh Steelers continued their unbeaten run on Wednesday night with a 19-14 win over their bitter divisional rivals the Baltimore Ravens, but staying perfect in 2020 comes at a price—linebacker Alvin “Bud” Dupree, who leads the Steelers with 8.0 sacks, suffered a serious knee injury against the Ravens. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the initial tests showed that Dupree tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.
Dupree got injured late in the fourth quarter while rushing Ravens’ quarterback Trace McSorley. He was pushed by left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. during the attempt. At this point, his knee gave up, and he fell to the ground with a painful expression on his face.
The 27-year-old linebacker managed to limp off the field without needing a stretcher, but it was obvious at that point that he might be in for a lengthy break.
The news represents a big blow for Pittsburgh, and their Super Bowl hopes this year, but it is even worse for Bud Dupree.
Dupree is playing on a franchise tag in 2020 and was set for a big payday in the offseason considering his performances. But now, with a big injury hanging over his free agency, it is unclear whether he’ll get the offers he is hoping for.
In 12 games this season, Dupree racked up eight sacks, 31 tackles, 15 QB hits, two forced fumbles, and two pass deflections.
