Steelers Place Rookie LB on IR With Designated to Return to Treat PTSD After Heartbreaking Loss of Girlfriend

Pittsburgh, PA – August 28, 2025 – The Steelers’ roster deadline usually sparks debate about depth charts and strategy. This year, it carried a heavier weight, shaped not by football but by tragedy beyond the field.

Just weeks earlier, news spread nationwide of the sudden death of Lina Bina, a 24-year-old online creator known widely for her vibrant presence. Her passing, after complications from surgery, shocked fans and left an NFL locker room reeling.

Inside the Steelers’ facility, the grief was impossible to ignore. Coaches and teammates recognized that one rookie’s battle went beyond playbooks or preseason reps. That private heartbreak has now influenced the team’s most difficult roster call.

That rookie is Carson Bruener, a seventh-round pick from Washington and son of former Steelers tight end Mark Bruener. He will begin his first season on Injured Reserve with a designation to return.

Bruener, only 23, entered camp with a reputation for toughness and leadership, compiling over 300 career tackles in college. Yet no stat could prepare him for the pain of losing the partner who fueled his NFL dream.

Head coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan emphasized compassion in explaining the move. “Family comes first,” one team source said, underlining that healing Bruener’s heart and mind matters more than special-teams snaps in September.

Adult film star MissJohnDough, 24, allegedly underwent a third bbl surgery before tragically dying from a blood clot in her heart and neck, according to friends 😔💔 pic.twitter.com/UqUPJBx6mw

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) August 7, 2025

The Steelers do sacrifice some linebacker depth, but teammates stressed his impact goes beyond the field. “He’s the kind of guy you root for twice as hard,” one veteran said, noting his resilience through adversity.

When he returns, fans won’t just see another rookie linebacker chasing plays. They’ll see a young man carrying courage, grief, and love — proof that even in football’s hardest city, compassion remains the strongest play call.