Pittsburgh Steelers say RBs coach Kirby Wilson’s miraculous return from burn injuries timely – NFL News
The Pittsburgh Steelers are ‘blessed’ to have their running backs coach Kirby Wilson back after seven months to the house-fire incident, which almost took away his life.
Kirby showed up at the team’s training camp, on its opening on Thursday, to surprise the players and coaches, who described his recovery a miracle and a ‘blessing’.
The coach himself said of the situation:
"It's awesome. My favourite time of the year. The most rewarding camp I've had."
As per details of the incident, Kirkby was preparing food in his kitchen when somehow his house caught fire. He received burn injuries on more than 50 percent of his body. He was rushed to the nearby hospital and first opinion of the doctors
was not very encouraging.
Yet a few days later, the coach took everyone by surprise as he shifted back to his home to run the remaining recovery and rehab process there. Now he is back on the field exactly seven months to the incident.
Kirkby’s presence with the Steelers has always been very likened and welcomed but this year his return is even more significant. Steelers’ young RBs force, in absence of the starter Rashard Mendenhall, who is out with a knee injury, does
not have any experienced player around them.
To a question about the team’s RB situation, Wilson said:
"It's heated. That's the only way I can describe it.”
He added:
"You have one guy on (the PUP list) in Rashard, and after that, (new starter) Isaac Redman and a bunch of young guys who really have a lot of ability but really haven't done it over the long haul and are trying to find their niche."
It is not just because of injuries that the Steelers are betting their future on young horses, their last year’s increased cap level also forced them to part ways with many veterans. The running back is not the only position facing dearth
of experience; almost all other positions are through a similar situation.
The team hopes now that the timely return of the RBs coach will help them groom the youth, and especially prepare them for longer hauls, which they do not have any experience of.
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