While the Pittsburgh Steelers were celebrating a victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, a former great suffered an untimely injury. Former defensive lineman Javon Hargrave suffered a torn Achilles tendon, NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed Monday morning.
This injury will knock him out for the rest of the season. Considering the severity of the injury, it isn't unthinkable that Hargrave just played his last snap of meaningful football in his career.
The former third-round pick for the Steelers has had an immense amount of success in the league. Considering his small-school background, "Gravedigger" has exceeded all expectations en route to a spectacular NFL career.
Shortly after the news, Steelers fans and Packers fans alike commented on X posts as they feared the worst for the talented defensive tackle.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans may have just seen Javon Hargrave's career come to an end
Hargrave was the piece de resistance to the Steelers' defensive line when he was drafted. Playing at South Carolina State, the odds of making it to the NFL were always long. However, he had excellent tape and shined during the pre-draft process.
The Steelers were hot on his trail, and while the team rarely dipped their toes into the small school pool of prospects, no one was shocked when Hargrave was announced as their pick in the third round.
It didn't take long for him to force his way into a role for that defense, as he started 13 games as a rookie, a rare feat, especially back in 2016. His shorter, stockier frame with a powerful lower body made him a stout run defender out of the gate.
What made him unique was his ability to rush the quarterback.
A quick first step and a wide array of pass-rushing moves made him hard for centers and guards to figure out. At a time when nose tackles still tended to be big space eaters, Hargrave's finesse made him a weapon.
He tallied 14.5 sacks during his tenure in Pittsburgh. Those kinds of numbers were unheard of for a nose tackle. Pairing him with a prime Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt gave the Steelers one of the best defensive lines in the league.
However, it also made the feasibility of paying Hargrave difficult. Given the rising cost of defensive linemen and the Steelers' tight cap situation with Tuitt and Heyward both on long-term deals, Hargrave walked in 2020 and headed to the Eagles. His great play only continued; he now has 49 sacks to his name for his career. The Steelers, meanwhile, have looked high and low to replace him.
That number may be permanent, as his injury is a serious one.
Achilles injuries are notoriously tough to recover from. You are typically looking at roughly a year before you can play again, and most players say you don't regain most of your mobility until two years after the incident.
Other players say that you have to just learn to permanently live without the mobility you once had. This is a very serious injury.
We just saw how limited Daniel Jones was coming off the same injury as the Colts quarterback was far less mobile than in years past. The historical track record doesn't look good for Hargrave either.
While he doesn't need the twitchy athleticism that other positions require, Hargrave has historically won with his first step. That goes away with this injury. It seems likely that he could play at some point in 2027, but he won't be at full strength.
That means the next time we see a fully healthy Hargrave may be in 2028, his age-35 season. I just don't see how he is still a viable defender at that point.
Vince Wilfork suffered an Achilles injury in 2013 at the age of 31. He recovered and played a few more seasons at a high level. He was younger, though, and his game was that of a space eater, so this isn't a one-for-one.
Ideally, Hargrave can get back to form and finish his career on a high note. If he doesn't, that shouldn't take away from his impressive career as one of the best picks from the later Kevin Colbert-era drafts.
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