Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin hopes QB Big Ben returns by weekend – NFL News
It has been three weeks and there is not a guarantee Pittsburgh Steelers star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be back to the squad this week, although both the player and team are doing their utmost to see the offence leader staging a much-needed comeback
before this weekend’s game.
Coach Mike Tomlin has again issued an ambitious and desperate statement that the player is getting closer to return, with still a big question whether the QB is able to do so. Ben himself has hit the field frequently since suffering the rib and shoulder
injuries but still is unable to prove his health and fitness.
Mike said:
"Ben is getting closer to healthy. He threw (Monday) and I guess it could be described as successfully. We'll see what it looks like on the football field (Wednesday). He will be given an opportunity to prove that he is healthy and we will let that progress
go from there."
The circles close to the player such as his agent are in the meantime completely silent, probably just for the sake of allowing the player’s workout to speak out in his favour or against it.
It is one of the reasons that the coach has once again pointed out that until Ben is back they will continue to rely on their old horse, QB Charlie Batch, who is confident of carrying the team’s burden on his shoulder more than ever before.
According to the coach:
"In the meanwhile Charlie is our guy and we'll prepare and plan with that in mind just like we did a week ago. We will continue to give Brian (Hoyer) some work if we can. The reps that we give Ben will primarily come from Brian."
Some independent commentators, who are privy to the development process of Big Ben, are not that optimistic about Ben’s return this week. The main problem is his rib that although is not sore anymore still affects his frequent movement.
It is the rib injury that is preventing the player to make a decisive statement for his comeback. All sides in the meantime are hopeful of the situation getting clearer by later this week, and there is a possibility that they might leave him a game-time
call.
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