Sage Steele Emotional in Return to SportsCenter After Scary Injury

SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele made her return to ESPN on Wednesday morning after the severe injury she suffered at the PGA Championship on May 19.

At the tournament, Steele was hit in the face by a Jon Rahm tee shot, bringing her to the ground. Not much was revealed at the time of the accident other than that the reporter was covered in blood.

On Wednesday during her SportsCenter appearance with co-host Matt Barrie, Steele described how she felt in the moment.

“It is amazing how quickly life can change,” Steele said. “One moment, you’re out on a course just innocently watching amazing golfers play at a golf major. The next moment, you’re on the ground, you’re in pain with your entire life flashing before your eyes, scared to death trying to comprehend what the hell just happened.”

She went on to thank the hospital in Tulsa that took care of her immediately after the incident, along with her dentist for helping fix her teeth, which in photos shared later in her talk showed her missing some of her teeth from the accident.

Additionally, Steele expressed her gratitude to everyone who sent her well wishes for her recovery. She specifically thanked Barrie, who happened to be next to her during the accident and helped her to the hospital afterward. 

“Thank you for making me smile throughout all of it,” Steele said to Barrie. “I needed you then, and I love you with all my heart. I’ll never forget it. ... I just need you to know that you saved me, and I’m forever grateful, best teammate I’ve ever had.”

Steele noted that she is still undergoing recovery, but did not detail what that entails. She also did not specify what her exact injury was.