The Pittsburgh Steelers have now wrapped up their Friday practice ahead of their Sunday home game against the Cincinnati Bengals and it still appears as though the team will have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for that contest.
According to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on Friday, the expectations remain that Roethlisberger will come off the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday. Tomlin said when and if that happens that the team will indeed have an extended walkthrough on Saturday to prepare for Sunday’s game against the Bengals. Roethlisberger has been on the Reserve/COVID-19 list all week due to being a close contact concern following tight end Vance McDonald contracting the virus.
“We do expect [Ben Roethlisberger] to come off,” Tomlin said. “We have that expectation because this week has gone according to plan in terms of his place in the procedure. If he comes off of the protocol, we are going to have an extended walkthrough tomorrow just to give him an in-helmet perspective on some of the situational things, to put the finishing touches on our work, to allow him to work with the eligibles that he will work with in game, to have any necessary informal conversations that allow us to have a level of comfort as we push into play.”
Tomlin went on to say on Friday that there will be no limitations on what the team will look to do offensively on Sunday despite Roethlisberger being unable to practice all week. He also indicated that Roethlisberger was able to get all the rehab he needed this past week on his sore knees.
In addition to updating the status of Roethlisberger on Friday, Tomlin did the same with inside linebacker Vince Williams, who has also been on the COVID-19 list this past week as well. Tomlin said he expects Williams to come off the COVID-19 list on Saturday along with Roethlisberger and he expects him to play on Sunday against the Bengals.
“I anticipate Vince [Williams] being available,” Tomlin said. “I’m extremely comfortable in his body of work and level of preparedness that he can work much the same as Ben [Roethlisberger], so Avery [Williamson]’s opportunities will be based on the play of the others.”
Tomlin also said on Friday the team is taking extra precautions with a few players and that is why running back Anthony McFarland Jr. (illness) and guard Kevin Dotson (illness) weren’t at practice on Friday. McFarland was listed on the team’s injury report on Thursday with an illness and Dotson will now be on the Friday offering.
