As usual, when it comes to anterior cruciate ligament injuries, the initial tests proved true: Bud Dupree tore his ACL.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that further tests confirmed the ACL tear for the Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher, whose season is over. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin later confirmed Dupree was out for the year. The team later placed him on injured reserve.
"You can characterize it as official that Bud is out for the year with a significant knee injury,” Tomlin said.
Dupree suffered the injury late in Wednesday's win over the Baltimore Ravens.
It's a brutal way to end the season for the franchise-tagged edge rusher. The Steelers, the last undefeated team in the NFL, will sorely miss Dupree’s presence opposite Defensive Player of the Year candidate T.J. Watt.
After placing Dupree on a $15.828 million tender this season, the Steelers will have to decide whether to tag him again for a 120 percent increase or let him hit the open market.
The former first-round pick has surged the past two seasons following a mediocre start to his career. Through 11 games, he generated 8.0 sacks and was on pace to match last year's 11.5 sacks.
With a dearth of pass rushers hitting free agency, it'd be interesting to see what a player of Dupree's caliber could warrant on the open market coming off knee surgery.