Titans update injury status of receiver Julio Jones in Steelers game

Tennessee Titans receiver Julio Jones left with injury will not return to action in Week 15 against the Steelers, NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano reports. The former Alabama star has struggled to stay on the field all year with a lingering hamstring injury.

He exited Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh after seeing just one target.

Jones has missed six games already this season because of the hamstring injury. The Tennessee offense is also without top receiver AJ Brown and star running back Derrick Henry, as both are on injured reserve.

Traded to the Titans from Atlanta in the offseason, Jones was expected to be a key piece in their quest for a Super Bowl. But his injury issues have cast some doubt onto whether that will be the case. Tennessee still finds itself as the No. 2 seed in AFC despite its injury problems, sitting at 9-4.

In the games Jones has managed to play, we’ve seen flashes of the star he was with the Falcons. He so far has 25 catches for 369 yards on the year but has yet to score a touchdown.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Titans and Steelers were tied at 13. Tennessee’s passing game has struggled without both Jones and Brown. With 13 minutes remaining, quarterback Ryan Tannehill had thrown for just 108 yards. Running backs D’Onta Foreman and Jeremy McNichols lead the Titans in receiving, though neither has more than 30 yards.

The lone touchdowns for both teams so far have come on the ground from the quarterbacks. Tannehill struck early in the first quarter to allow the Titans to strike first.

Should Tennessee defeat the Steelers, it would improve to 10-4 on the season. That would move the Titans into a tie with Kansas City for first place in the AFC, but Tennessee owns the tiebreaker.

Following the matchup against the Steelers, the Titans have a quick turnaround for Thursday Night Football against San Francisco. Check back for more injury updates on Julio Jones ahead of that contest.