Patrick Queen injury update: Steelers LB diagnosis, timeline revealed

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen suffered an injury in Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, but it looks like he won’t be out for long. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Queen is believed to have suffered a lower back bruise. He’s having tests done, but the hope is that the injury is nothing long-term.

Patrick Queen suffered the injury in the second quarter of the Steelers’ 26-7 loss to the Bills. He has not missed a game this season and has registered 89 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, and four passes defended in 12 games.

The Steelers signed Queen to a three-year contract in March of last year, and he finished the 2024 season with 129 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, and seven passes defended. He spent his first four years with the Baltimore Ravens and was selected to the All-Pro Second Team in 2023.

Former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex doesn’t seem to be a big fan of Patrick Queen. On Sunday, Essex went to X/Twitter to say he’s done with the veteran linebacker.

Former Steelers OL calls out Patrick Queen

“He’s hurt, but I’m over the Patrick Queen experiment,” Essex wrote. “Simply put, he’s not a Steelers LB. He’s not [James] Farrior. He’s not [Lawrence] Timmons. He’s not [Ryan] Shazier. He doesn’t play with that disposition. We missed on that signing. And for our main rival to let him leave, shoulda been a sign.”

When Queen saw the comments, he fired back in a big way. “Never was a pro bowler or all pro but get on here yappin,” Queen said. “Got carried your whole career back n forth from the bench stfu!”

Essex may not like the way Queen has played this year, but the Steelers are going to need him if they want to clinch the AFC North. This weekend, the Steelers take on the Ravens, and the winner will have sole possession of the division with four games remaining. And based on the way the rest of the AFC is shaping out, winning the division might be the only way the Steelers and/or Ravens get into the playoffs since both teams are 6-6.