PITTSBURGH STEELERS quarterback Mason Rudolph was KO’d by a brutal hit from Earl Thomas II last night.
The clash against the Baltimore Ravens was stopped for four minutes while the stricken ace had treatment as shocked team-mates looked on.
But fortunately he was able to walk off the field, albeit with the help of two pals, after fears he could be more seriously injured.
In farcical scenes, the cart sent to pick him up broke down but the NFL insist there was a spare available should doctors have deemed it necessary.
Rudolph – who was handed his shot when No1 Ben Roethlisberger was injured earlier in the season – missed the rest of the game after being placed in concussion protocol.
Third-string passer Devlin Hodges came in for the remainder as the Ravens secured a 26-23 victory in overtime.
Safety Thomas caught Rudolph flush on the chin with his helmet but insists he did nothing wrong.
He said: “I didn’t intentionally try to hurt him. I’m worried about him. I heard he’s at the hospital.
“It’s a football play.It wasn’t dirty. He actually got sandwiched. B-Carr [Brandon Carr] came from behind, and I hit him from the side in the strike zone.
“I didn’t even see a flag initially. I think once they saw how serious it was, they were like, ‘Oh, let me throw this flag,’ which was understandable.”
Team-mate Alejandro Villanueva ran straight over to Rudolph to check he was still breathing after the hit.
While wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was visibly shaken as events unfolded.
After the game, he said: “I’ve heard of situations where the person’s not moving at all and they don’t get up.
“Schuster said. “And I was just praying to God that he gets up, and he’s our quarterback and he’s our guy. I’m praying for a speedy recovery.”
