Steelers lose Pro Bowl lineman David DeCastro vs. Eagles due to abdomen injury

Steelers Pro Bowl right guard David DeCastro will miss the remainder of Sunday’s game against the Eagles after sustained an abdomen injury in the first half. Rookie Kevin Dotson has replaced DeCastro in Pittsburgh’s starting lineup.  Despite DeCastro’s absence, the Steelers took a second quarter lead on Ben Roethlisberger’s 32-yard touchdown pass to rookie Chase Claypool, who also scored the Steelers’ first touchdown on a two-yard run. The visiting Eagles, however, quickly tied the score on Miles Sanders’ second touchdown of the game. 

The Steelers’ first round pick in the 2012 draft, DeCastro missed Pittsburgh’s first two games of the season with a knee injury. He made his season debut in Week 3, as DeCastro helped the Steelers improve to 3-0 after defeating the visiting Texans, 28-21. 

“Dave is special,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said following Pittsburgh’s win over Houston, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Dave is one of the guys that makes this thing go. I told him before the game just how happy I am to have him back — not because he’s a really good football player but because he’s a friend and really just means a lot to have him out there.”

Pittsburgh, without DeCastro, will look to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1979. You can keep up with all the action from Pittsburgh in our live blog of the game.