Former Chiefs OL Stefen Wisniewski hits injured reserve with Steelers

The Steelers have placed Stefen Wisniewski on injured reserve.

Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski was placed on injured reserve on Friday by the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering a pectoral muscle injury during Week 1 against the New York Giants, per NFL reporter Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero notes that Wisniewski was fortunate enough to avoid surgery on the injury and that he’s a candidate to return after a few weeks.

Wisniewski will be out at least three weeks as he heals from the injury suffered late in the team’s opening game. Unfortunately for the Steelers, the team has also lost starting right tackle Zach Banner for the year and David DeCastro has also missed part of this season with a knee injury. The Steelers brought Derwin Gray, their seventh round choice in 2019, to the active roster from the team’s practice squad.

Wisniewski was an important addition to the Chiefs in 2019 as a versatile veteran lineman who eventually settled into the starting guard role between left tackle Eric Fisher and center Austin Reiter. He played in 11 games in K.C. and started two in the regular season. In the postseason, he started all three games for the Chiefs and helped the team capture their first Super Bowl championship in 50 seasons.

The Oakland Raiders first drafted Wisniewski in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and he spent four seasons in the Bay Area. After that he spent a single season with the Jacksonville Jaguars before latching on with the Philadelphia Eagles. He would win his first Super Bowl in Philly in 2017 with head coach Doug Pederson, former offensive coordinator for the Chiefs. Wisniewski signed with the Steelers this past spring in a homecoming that brought him back to his native Pittsburgh.