Sean Spence injury: Steelers LB suffers severe damage to left knee

A promising 2012 draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers is quickly being torn asunder by injury. Just one week after losing first-round OG David DeCastro to a severe right knee injury (although DeCastro might be able to return late in the season), the Steelers apparently have also lost third-round LB Sean Spence to an even more devastating knee injury.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that Spence is believed to have a torn ACL, a torn LCL (lateral collateral ligament) and a dislocated knee cap.

Spence was carted off the field with his leg in an air cast after his cleat appeared to get caught in the turf while he was pursuing Carolina Panthers quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

Here’s a screenshot of the injury:

Sean Spence injury screenshot. Nasty. That hurts! http://t.co/asDnU2lZ—
Mikey (@fsmikey) August 31, 2012

Spence’s journey to becoming the next great Steelers linebacker will have to wait a year. He was listed as Lawrence Timmons’ backup on Pittsburgh’s official depth chart.