Mike Bires of the Beaver County Times reported Wednesday on Twitter that Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey told him the ankle injury that right tackle Marcus Gilbert suffered in the game against the Tennessee Titans last Thursday may keep him out as for as many as six weeks.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that Gilbert flew to North Carolina on Monday to see a specialist and that he suffered tendon injury in his ankle that will not require surgery.
“He has a tendon injury in his ankle,” said Tomlin. “It does not require surgery. He is week to week. He will be out this week. But it was a positive meeting in that the injury does not require surgery.”
Gilbert has already been ruled out for the Sunday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals and it looks like he will miss several more weeks as well. Rookie Mike Adams will start in his place at right tackle and rookie Kelvin Beachum will now suit up until Gilbert is healthy enough to return.
Pouncey, who suffered a sprained knee in the loss to the Titans, said on Wednesday that he has not ruled himself out for the game against Bengals. The Steelers center likely will not practice today and was listed as questionable to start the week by Tomlin on Tuesday.
Should Pouncey not be ready by Saturday, the Steelers will likely promote John Malecki from the practice squad prior to leaving for Cincinnati. Malecki would then serve as the backup to Doug Legursky, who would start at center if indeed Pouncey can\’t play.
