Steelers coach Mike McCarthy misses halftime after ‘freak’ on-field injury

Steelers coach Mike McCarthy misses halftime after 'freak' on-field injury.

Key points

• Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy coached the second half of his team's NFL Week 6 game against Tampa Bay with a foot injury.
• The 62-year-old remarked to journalists after his team's 26-19 victory that his foot was stepped on leading up to halftime.
• The veteran is in his first season as coach of his hometown team after 18 seasons with Green Bay and Dallas.
• Steelers coach Mike McCarthy explains the ankle injury that forced him to spend halftime in the medical tent during Pittsburgh's win over Tampa Bay.
• Though there was concern among players, quarterback Aaron Rodgers remarked afterward that the injury disrupted little concerning the team's routine.

Steelers coach Mike McCarthy misses halftime after 'freak' on-field injury. Adam Bittner USA TODAY. Mike McCarthy has hilarious reaction to spending halftime in medical tent.

Meanwhile, the 62-year-old remarked to journalists after his team's 26-19 victory that his foot was stepped on leading up to halftime. The CBS broadcast documented that the 62-year-old spent halftime in the blue medical tent on the Steelers' sideline instead of joining his team in the locker room. He was seen limping on the field at Raymond James Stadium, favoring his right foot.

Mike McCarthy, heading off the field, and appears to have twisted his ankle, CBS play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon observed as the broadcast returned from studio coverage at the half. You can see him slow up, and then needing a little assistance.

"He went right into the blue medical tent, and he spent the entire halftime in the tent. He just came out. He never went to the locker room at halftime as he was getting his leg looked at." What happened to Mike McCarthy?

CBS sideline reporter AJ Ross called the injury a "freak thing" as McCarthy was walking to speak with her at halftime. Cameras did not capture exactly what happened, but he remarked to journalists that the discomfort was caused by being stepped on and not by rolling his ankle.

Notably, the veteran is in his first season as coach of his hometown team after 18 seasons with Green Bay and Dallas. He is the offense's play-caller, so any departure from the playing surface would have been a change to the team's process.

"There wasn't a whole lot different at halftime, " Rodgers remarked. "It was still the same chaos, but individuals stated Mike didn't come in and individuals were wondering what the heck's going on. Is he OK? Glad he's OK."

Cameras indicated McCarthy standing on the sideline throughout the second half, so the mishap did not appear to impact his ability to stay involved in the game. His offense rallied from a 13-3 halftime deficit to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, then win in overtime.

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In short, steelers coach Mike McCarthy misses halftime after freak on is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.