Steelers' Dawson May Be Out

October 20, 1999 / 9:33 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Dermontti Dawson didn't practice Wednesday because of the first serious in-season injury of his 12-year career and the center may miss the Pittsburgh Steelers' game Monday against Atlanta.

Dawson couldn't run and even his walk was much slower than normal, the result of a pulled hamstring sustained in the first quarter of Sunday's 17-3 victory in Cincinnati.

Dawson did not rule himself out he is listed as questionable but backup Roger Duffy inadvertently suggested that Dawson's streak of 170 consecutive starts might end.

"Maybe I can hold down the fort for a couple of weeks so we can get him back and healthy for a run at the end of the year," said Duffy, who was given a game ball for his play in Cincinnati.

Since the Steelers have a bye week following Monday's game, they might prefer that Dawson sit out the Atlanta game and take two full weeks off before a Nov. 6 game in San Francisco.

"All I can do right now is rest it," Dawson said. "It's day to day. I keep getting treatment, and that's all I can do."

Dawson's streak is the second-longest currently in the NFL and the third-longest in team history. Dawson, voted the All-Pro center for the last five years, has never failed to start since succeeding Hall of Famer Mike Webster late in his own rookie season in 1988.

The only streaks longer in Steelers history were by Dawson's predecessors, Ray Mansfield (182 games) and Webster (177). The three are the only starting centers the Steelers have had for the last 30 years, although Jim Clack spelled Mansfield occasionally late in his career.

None of his teammates could recall seeing Dawson miss more than an occasional play here or there. Dawson played the second half against Denver in 1991 on a badly sprained ankle, and missed only two plays despite hyperextending an elbow in Jacksonville in the final regular season game last year.

"Last year I was in there for just a couple of plays at center and he was running back out there with his arm taped," Duffy said. "He hates missing time, but, unfortunately, it's a little more severe than anticipated."

Coach Bill Cowher said, "When he comes off the field, you know it's a significant injury."

The injury is the second for the 34-year-old Dawson this season. He sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee on the first day of training camp and missed most of the contact work in camp, yet still took part in a workout against the Washington Redskins several days later without a helmet.

"We've got to make sure we're cautious with him, because he always wants t play," Cowher said. "If we leave it up to him, he'll come back before he's ready."