Leftwich leaves Panthers game with knee injury

You always take a risk playing important players in the preseason, and tonight the Steelers may have learned that first hand, as QB Byron Leftwich hurt his knee in the teams win over the Panthers at home. The Trib reports that it’s a knee injury and Leftwich was taken out of the game after hitting an 18-yard pass to Emmanuel Sanders.

Steelers Byron Leftwich, who is expected to start while Ben Roethlisberger serves a likely four-game suspension, has left tonight’s game against the Panthers after hurting his left knee. He will not return after completing 2 of 4 passes for passes for 43 yards. After completing an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders five minutes into the second quarter, Leftwich got up limping. He then knelt on one knee, prompting the Steelers to take him out of the game. He has gone into the Steelers locker room though he walked there under his own power. Dennis Dixon replaced Leftwich and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Sanders.