Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirms LB James Harrison off PUP list – NFL News
Pittsburgh Steelers’ daring but controversial linebacker James Harrison is back with a bang ready to take on more quarterbacks in the league with the start of the season next month.
The surprise move was confirmed by Steelers coach Mike Tomlin a day earlier, which happened to be the second welcome development in Pittsburgh, a day after arrival of rebellious wide receiver Mike Wallace.
Tomlin’s confirmation coincided with an update that James had been taken off the physically unable perform (PUP) list and can make himself available for selection anytime soon.
James had a knee surgery two weeks ago but was through the problem during most part of the offseason programme.
His removal from the PUP list has come after the team strategically took Jason Worilds off the list. Leaving these players would have forced them to spend the initial six games of the regular season on the sidelines.
With Wallace and Harrison back, the Steelers are expected to get boost on the offensive and defensive lines. Both players have a plenty of experience on their resumes, respectively, and will be very effective to lead the younger crop of Steelers at both
lines.
Harrison is particularly very effective given he is not taken that pleasantly by opposition quarterbacks for his aggressive attitude. The linebacker has repeatedly been fined over the course of last two years but is still not afraid of knocking down players,
mostly inflicting injuries on them as serious as concussion.
As a matter of fact, he is the only player so far who has been suspended for a game over his hit on Cleveland Browns’ quarterback Colt McCoy last season, who suffered concussion as a result of it and went through an unfortunate and controversial examination
and recovery process.
The Steelers’ linebacker was lucky to have escaped a possibility of harsher punishment, which was very much warranted given the serious nature of concussion injury and almost all commentators had recommended severe penalty for him.
It is to be seen now if he has changed his agenda of roughing up players on the field, which would also be a welcome development for the Steelers given they are embarking upon a concussion awareness raising programme to promote players’ safety. It must be
a great achievement of the programme if the team is able to put its own house in order.
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