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Neck injury could end Okobi’s career

By Jim Wexell For The 2 min read

LATROBE – The five-year career of Chukky Okobi could be ending before it really got started. The Steelers’ reserve center has a herniated disc in his neck and his career is in question, coach Bill Cowher said Tuesday.

Okobi had complained of neck pain last week and was held out of some contact drills, but the pain persisted and team doctors checked him out Tuesday morning.

“It could be very significant,” said Cowher. “Until I get a further update he could be going into surgery as early as Wednesday. I’ll talk to doctors tonight Tuesday night. I don’t want to give you any more than that but it does not look good.”

Cowher was asked if the injury might threaten Okobi’s season or career.

“It could be both,” Cowher said.

Okobi, 27, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2001 after playing center in front of quarterback Drew Brees at Purdue.

Last season Okobi played in all 16 regular-season games and all four playoff games as part of the Steelers’ special teams. He’s started five NFL games, all in 2002 as a replacement for injured Jeff Hartings.

Okobi has been viewed as the center of the future for the Steelers, but Hartings’s knees have held up and the Steelers drafted center Marvin Philip out of Cal in the sixth round last April.

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