The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the practice fields Tuesday at their facility and head coach Mike Tomlin told the media after practice that linebacker Stevenson Sylvester (knee) has had a minor procedure done now on his knee.
“He got hurt either Friday or Saturday in Latrobe,” said Tomlin. “We’re taking it day-to-day. He had a minor procedure on his knee. He can definitely be characterized as questionable. If we were determining status for this week, which we aren’t, you could say he’d be questionable at best.”
It was reported by Gerry Dulac on Sunday that Sylvester had torn the medial collateral ligament and that he was expected to be sidelined for perhaps three to four weeks. That time frame means that it is likely that the third year linebacker will not be ready for the opener against Denver.
As far as other injuries go, Tomlin said that running back Jason Ford (hamstring) has a minor hamstring injury and is day-to-day and that both nose tackle Casey Hampton (knee) and running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee) took the field on Tuesday and are beginning the process of working their way back. Both Hampton and Mendenhall were removed from the PUP list this past Friday.
Mike Prisuta reports that tackle Max Starks, who was also removed from the PUP list week, said after practice that he did take part in some first-team reps on Tuesday, but that he didn\’t do any of the pass-under-pressure type stuff. Starks also told Prisuta that key now is to wake up Wednesday without swelling in his knee and that he thinks he has a good chance of becoming the starting left tackle and that depends on his health more than anything else.
Center Maurkice Pouncey said that he is pretty sure Starks will start the Saturday night preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, according to Prisuta.
Linebackers James Harrison (knee) and Jason Worilds (wrist) remain on the PUP list.
