The Pittsburgh Steelers will play their first preseason game of 2018 Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles and Tuesday morning head coach Mike Tomlin named a few players that will sit that contest out because of injuries.
Sitting out Thursday night for the Steelers will be wide receiver Antonio Brown (quad), tight end Vance McDonald (foot), outside linebacker T.J. Watt and outside linebacker Bud Dupree (concussion), according to Tomlin.
“It’s safe to assume that some of the guys that have missed time because of injury will not be playing in this game,” Tomlin said. “Guys like Vance Mcdonald and Bud Dupree, Antonio Brown, [T.J.] Watt. Those guys that have missed practice recent days and probably again today because of injury will not participate in the game.”
Of those four players, McDonald and Watt have missed the most practice time so far during training camp. Brown, who was reportedly in Miami the last few days rehabbing a hip flexor injury, won’t practice Tuesday afternoon. Tomlin said the hope with him is that he’s able to resume practicing after the team’s first preseason game.
“Look forward to getting him back out there when we get back from Philadelphia,” Tomlin said of Brown.
As for the several other players currently dealing with minor injuries, Tomlin would only say that he plans on leaving the light on for them to participate in the game Thursday night.
“Largely, we would like to leave the light on for as many people as possible,” Tomlin said. “Those that are experiencing the soft tissue or day-to-day injuries, I don’t want to X those guys out, you don’t have to this time of year. We’ll leave the light on for some of those guys, even maybe those who maybe missed practice some on Sunday and some portion of whatever.”
As expected, Tomlin said Tuesday that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not play Thursday night against the Eagles.
