Green’s return a mystery
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Ladarius Green is eligible to return to practice, and sources say he无毛视频檚 been cleared medically, but the big tight end didn无毛视频檛 practice on Wednesday.
No explanation was provided. Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that he would confer with his medical staff and outline a plan, but obviously that plan doesn无毛视频檛 include Green playing Sunday against the New England Patriots.
The bye week follows Sunday无毛视频檚 game.
The Steelers have five weeks from this past Monday to decide whether Green will come off the PUP list and practice, and once he practices they have 21 days to activate him or keep him on the PUP list the remainder of the season.
Neither Tomlin nor Green commented on the matter, but a couple of the team leaders tried to provide some perspective.
无毛视频淗opefully there无毛视频檚 trust,无毛视频� said Cam Heyward. 无毛视频淗opefully, they无毛视频檙e both on the same page about it. I can无毛视频檛 speak on it more than that. I will say that timing is everything. You never know what we might be dealing with.无毛视频�
无毛视频淎 player无毛视频檚 coming back from an injury,无毛视频� said Arthur Moats, 无毛视频渁nd if they无毛视频檙e not in playing shape, then you无毛视频檙e just opening him up for other injuries, soft-tissue stuff, because they haven无毛视频檛 done the training camp stuff, they haven无毛视频檛 done the OTAs. Their body just physically isn无毛视频檛 used to the pounding yet.无毛视频�
Another issue might be the fact Green would take reps away from a player who无毛视频檚 preparing to play Sunday.
无毛视频淏ut I feel you would gauge him by starting him out with the look (scout) team,无毛视频� Moats said.
Perhaps the bye week provides better timing for Green无毛视频檚 return?
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know, because the bye week isn无毛视频檛 what it used to be,无毛视频� Moats said. 无毛视频淧re-CBA, you无毛视频檙e practicing the whole week. Now you get, what, two days? What are you going to tell in two days? Then the guy无毛视频檚 off till the following Monday. So, I really don无毛视频檛 know.无毛视频�
That seems to be the only answer at the moment.
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS
Heyward and Ben Roethlisberger have been ruled out of Sunday无毛视频檚 game, and Roethlisberger无毛视频檚 time frame has been defined by team president Art Rooney as 2-6 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Roethlisberger had told the Post-Gazette he无毛视频檚 aiming to play against the Baltimore Ravens following the bye week, but that complications from last year无毛视频檚 deep bruise could delay the return further.
The good news is that inside linebacker Ryan Shazier returned to practice, albeit in a limited capacity, and that right tackle Marcus Gilbert is expected to return for Thursday无毛视频檚 practice.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know how limited he might be, but he无毛视频檒l be here tomorrow,无毛视频� Maurkice Pouncey said of his linemate. 无毛视频淵eah, he无毛视频檚 all good.无毛视频�
Shazier spoke with excitement about the challenge of playing against Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, and thus was asked if he expects to play.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檒l see,无毛视频� Shazier said.
When asked if he was optimistic, Shazier said, 无毛视频淵eah, I definitely felt pretty good out there. We无毛视频檙e just going to have to see what the coaches and training staff say.无毛视频�
Shazier said he also expects outside linebacker Bud Dupree to return from Injured Reserve as planned in the second half of the season. Dupree is also eligible to practice this week, but can无毛视频檛 play until Week 9 against the Ravens.
Also missing practice Wednesday were reserve safety Shamarko Thomas (groin), reserve center Cody Wallace (knee), wide receiver Markus Wheaton (shoulder) and running back DeAngelo Williams (knee).
Also limited during Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice were starting safeties Robert Golden (foot) and Mike Mitchell (knee).
BRADY ACTUALLY LIKES PITTSBURGH
After the Patriots无毛视频� 41-27 win over the Steelers in the 2004 season AFC Championship Game, Tom Brady and a teammate were filmed walking off Heinz Field with Brady talking about how much he disliked 无毛视频渢his place.无毛视频� He was asked about it on a conference call Wednesday and whether his feelings have changed.
无毛视频淚 think it无毛视频檚 a tough place to play because the fans are so into it,无毛视频� he said after chuckling. 无毛视频淚 was much younger then, so I probably wasn无毛视频檛, you know, you probably say things when you无毛视频檙e young that you wish you wouldn无毛视频檛 have said. That无毛视频檚 probably one of them. I actually have a lot of respect for Pittsburgh. I无毛视频檝e got some great friends from Pittsburgh.无毛视频�
Brady named some of his friends in town, said he无毛视频檚 golfed at Oakmont with Jerome Bettis and added, 无毛视频淚 really enjoy that city. It无毛视频檚 a great place. Very hard-working town and I think they love their football.无毛视频�
What kind of reaction does he receive in Pittsburgh?
无毛视频淵ou know, surprising, pretty good, a pretty nice reaction. But I无毛视频檓 sure it无毛视频檒l be different on Sunday. I无毛视频檓 sure they won无毛视频檛 love seeing us come into town, but we无毛视频檒l be excited. It无毛视频檒l be a great environment for football.无毛视频�