Add Landry Jones to the list. As everyone knows, Landry Jones was supposed to start and play the entire game for the Steelers against the Browns. “Backup” Ben Roethlisberger instead stepped out from the bullpen and saved the day against the Browns.
- In the interim Landry Jones got “Gilberted.”
If Webster’s had a definition of “Gilberted” it would read something like this: “To be a Pittsburgh Steeler who suffers and injury as a result of a contact with Marcus Gilbert.” Yes, the headline “Marcus Gilbert Injures Teammate” before, however unfortunate and unintentional.
David DeCastro was his first victim during the 2012 preseason. Fullback David Johnson was his next victim later that preseason, unfortunately, Roger Goodell and the NFL’s YouTube Police have not allowed video of that injury to remain publically available.
David DeCastro returned to play the final 3 games of the 2012 season, but Johnson wasn’t so lucky, missing all of 2012 only to return in 2013 as tight end number 1 in the place of injured Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth until suffering an ACL tear in 2013 that ended his season and career with the Steelers.
- The irony of course is that DeCastro himself would “Gilbert” starting center Maurkice Pouncey during the Steelers 2013 opener vs. the Tennessee Titans.
But since then Gilbert has gone dormant and the Steelers have not suffered any more Gilbertings until Landry Jones second start ended after just seven snaps. Is this a sign of things to come? Steelers Nation can only hope not. But the members of the Steelers 2015 roster have been warned.
Players getting injured by their own teammates is nothing new in the NFL and the Steelers did not need Marcus Gilbert to bring it to them. Greg Lloyd’s career changing injury came, at least in part, as the result of a collision with Rod Woodson in the 1996 opener vs. Jacksonville.
- None of this suggests that Marcus Gilbert is in anyway responsible for causing these injuries.
Marcus Gilbert is most certainly not at fault for being blocked and knocked into another teammate. Still, the headline “Marcus Gilbert Injures Teammate” has now been uttered 3 times, which is, if nothing else, a little eerie. Let’s hope we don’t see it a fourth time.
