The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent much of training camp keeping details about injuries close to the vest. On Monday, Aug. 24, DK Metcalf made it clear the players aren’t going to fill in the blanks, either.
Metcalf and fellow wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. returned to practice after each had been sidelined for more than two weeks. First-round offensive tackle Max Iheanachor also returned after missing time with an injury suffered on Aug. 6.
That should have made Monday a good day for Pittsburgh’s injury report.
Instead, questions about what exactly happened to those players gave way to an unusual bit of back-and-forth between head coach Mike McCarthy and his team.
Steelers’ DK Metcalf Defers Injury Questions Back to Coaches
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor noted Monday that McCarthy has repeatedly directed reporters to players when asked for specifics about injuries during camp.
When Metcalf, Pittman and Iheanachor were asked about their injuries Monday, however, each sent the questions right back toward the coaching staff.
“That’s a them question,” Metcalf said, according to Pryor. “I can’t tell you what was going on with me.”
The answer was especially notable because Pittsburgh has never publicly identified what kept Metcalf out.
Metcalf stopped participating in team periods near the end of the Steelers’ Aug. 8 Saturday Night Lights practice and then missed practice beginning Aug. 10. McCarthy did not initially provide an injury designation for the veteran receiver.
Steelers Now’s Chris Ward reported Monday that Metcalf had not practiced since Aug. 8, but returned in pads for the start of Monday’s session. Metcalf had said five days earlier that he felt “100%” and that he would be available if Pittsburgh were preparing for a regular-season game.
Pittman’s situation has been somewhat clearer. He was banged up during the same Aug. 8 practice and has been dealing with a right ankle issue, according to Ward.
Neither receiver played in Pittsburgh’s preseason game against the New York Jets on Friday, allowing Roman Wilson and rookie Germie Bernard to receive additional work.
Both receivers returning is significant for an offense that has spent the last couple weeks without its projected top two wideouts.
Steelers Finally Getting Healthier Before Regular Season
The lack of specifics hasn’t been limited to Pittsburgh’s receivers.
Iheanachor left an Aug. 6 practice early with what appeared to be an upper-body injury. Steelers.com’s Brian Batko reported that McCarthy initially sounded optimistic about the rookie’s status the next morning.
“He won’t go today,” McCarthy said Aug. 7. “I think we might not see him until Monday, but he’s OK.”
The No. 21 overall pick ultimately missed considerably more time. Batko reported Aug. 17 that Iheanachor was still making progress but was likely to miss Pittsburgh’s second preseason game because of the injury.
He finally returned to practice Monday after an absence of more than two weeks.
The timing matters for Iheanachor, who has been competing for a role on an offensive line that remains unsettled. McCarthy acknowledged during the rookie’s absence that missing practice reps was particularly important because coaches were losing chances to evaluate his development.
Metcalf and Pittman have much more established roles. The Steelers will need both healthy as Aaron Rodgers prepares for another season behind center and Pittsburgh moves closer to its Sept. 13 opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
The good news Monday was obvious: three important offensive players were back on the field.
Getting much more information than that, apparently, may require figuring out whether to ask the players or the coaches first.
Steelers’ Injury Mystery Exposes Disconnect Between DK Metcalf, Mike McCarthy