A connecting rod including two non-connected rod elements coaxial with a longitudinal axis which are offset along the longitudinal axis, and an energy-absorption device that absorbs energy by plastic deformation. The energy-absorption device includes a coaxial hollow tube with a wall which deforms plastically when subjected to an axial compressive force exceeding a certain threshold, a coaxial pin having ends immobilized with respect to the rod elements in the event of tensile forces, and a sleeve fitting over the two facing ends of the rod elements which are positioned one on each side of the energy-absorption device, the sleeve being slidable with respect to one rod element in order to allow the hollow tube and/or the pin to deform and absorb energy. The sleeve limits a range of deformation so that a breaking point of the energy-absorption device is not reached.