Tomlin: Keisel, Hampton and Starks candidates for surgery

[hawaiiansteel]

Tomlin: Keisel, Hampton and Starks candidates for surgery

Monday, January 09, 2012
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said today at his season-ending news conference that nose tackle Casey Hampton and offensive tackle Max Starks have ACL injuries and defensive lineman Brett Keisel has a severe groin injury. All three are being evaluated today by team doctors and are potential candidates for surgery.

Tomlin also said surgery is a possibility for Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, who did not play in the final game of the season for the second year in a row because of a high ankle sprain.

Tomlin also provided some more insight into the defensive concept on the final play of the game -- an 80-yard pass from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas for the game-winning touchdown on the first play of the overtime period.

Tomlin said it was an inverted zone coverage where the safeties were close to the line of scrimmage for run support. He declined to say what safety Ryan Mundy's responsibilities were on the play.

Tomlin said it is not out of the ordinary for the Steelers to employ such a defense in that situation. He said they have done it many times when facing run-oriented quarterbacks.

Tomlin also said that he would "probably" attack the Denver offense in the same way if he had to do it over again. He explained that defending Tebow and the potential of his running limits what a defense can do in a planned scheme.

Tomlin was asked if he expected offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and defensive coordinator D!ck LeBeau back next season.

He acknowledged the possibility for change, but said "we're going to work to maintain continuity as we always do."

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[phillyesq]

Tomlin was asked if he expected offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and defensive coordinator D!ck LeBeau back next season.

He acknowledged the possibility for change, but said "we're going to work to maintain continuity as we always do."

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Certainly not a ringing endorsement. Then again, it also leaves open the possibility of a retirement.

[hawaiiansteel]

Three Steelers starters might be looking toward surgery

By Mark Kaboly and Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, January 10, 2012


Offensive tackle Max Starks and nose tackle Casey Hampton suffered significant knee injuries, and defensive end Brett Keisel injured his groin in the Steelers' playoff loss at Denver, coach Mike Tomlin said Monday.

All three players were evaluated to see whether the injuries will require surgery.

The injuries to Starks, Keisel and Hampton came on the heels of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and center Maurkice Pouncey's high-ankle sprains, along with injuries to linebacker LaMarr Woodley and a number of other players.

"Injuries are a part of the game," Tomlin said. "You aren't going to be so fortunate that you don't have to deal with them. We dealt with them to the best of our abilities."

The Steelers ended the year with nine players on injured reserve — not including Keisel, Hampton and Starks, who all would have been candidates had the team's season continued.

Tomlin said Pouncey's ankle may require offseason surgery, but said Roethlisberger's high-ankle sprain isn't likely to be fixed surgically.

WARD NOT FINISHED YET

Refuting a report that he had likely played his last NFL game, wide receiver Hines Ward said he wants to come back for a 15th season.

"I have no plans on retiring right now," Ward wrote on his Facebook page yesterday. "I want to win another Superbowl (sic). I don't know where the media is getting this info from, but rest assured that when I decide to retire, you'll hear it from ME first."

Ward did not have any catches Sunday in Denver. He lost his starting job to Brown in November, but still became the eighth receiver in NFL history with 1,000 receptions or more.

Ward, who did not complain about his reduced role, is signed through 2012.

TRACKING TEBOW

Tomlin said that if he had to do it again, he wouldn't have defended Denver quarterback Tim Tebow any differently.

"Probably, the responsibilities associated with defending their run gaps kind of dictated at times how you attack them," Tomlin said. "Obviously they made some nice plays on us, and in hindsight you would analyze with a fine-tooth comb some of the things you did, but I think your options are limited in terms of how you attack them because of run-gap responsibilities."

Tebow completed only 10 passes but threw for 316 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He connected on five completions of 30 yards or longer. Coming into the game, the Steelers gave up seven this season.

COORDINATOR COHESION

Tomlin said he expects offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and defensive coordinator D!ck LeBeau to return.

"I anticipate it, but of course we all understand what the end of the season is about, and movement is a part of it in today's NFL for players and coaches," Tomlin said. "We are going to try to maintain continuity like we always do."

RUN CUT SHORT

Count Troy Polamalu among those that thought the Steelers were capable of a long postseason run.

"I've been on a lot of really good teams, and I felt that this team was up there with them," the All-Pro safety said. "We weren't really able to stay healthy, keep cohesiveness out there like we wanted to."

Before losing Keisel and Hampton to knee injuries, the Steelers already were without starting free safety Ryan Clark because of a medical condition. Woodley rotated with Jason Worilds because of a hamstring injury that caused him to miss six of the Steelers' final eight regular-season games.

Question about age - seven of the defensive starters are at least 30 years old - will replace ones about how injuries conspired against the Steelers. But Polamalu said he sees anything but a team in decline.

"We're very talented," he said. "We've got a lot of young guys, we've got a good mix of experience."

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[fordfixer]

Tomlin: Keisel, Hampton and Starks candidates for surgery

Monday, January 09, 2012
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said today at his season-ending news conference that nose tackle Casey Hampton and offensive tackle Max Starks have ACL injuries and defensive lineman Brett Keisel has a severe groin injury. All three are being evaluated today by team doctors and are potential candidates for surgery.

Tomlin also said surgery is a possibility for Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, who did not play in the final game of the season for the second year in a row because of a high ankle sprain.

Tomlin also provided some more insight into the defensive concept on the final play of the game -- an 80-yard pass from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas for the game-winning touchdown on the first play of the overtime period.

Tomlin said it was an inverted zone coverage where the safeties were close to the line of scrimmage for run support. He declined to say what safety Ryan Mundy's responsibilities were on the play.

Tomlin said it is not out of the ordinary for the Steelers to employ such a defense in that situation. He said they have done it many times when facing run-oriented quarterbacks.

Tomlin also said that he would "probably" attack the Denver offense in the same way if he had to do it over again. He explained that defending Tebow and the potential of his running limits what a defense can do in a planned scheme.

Tomlin was asked if he expected offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and defensive coordinator D!ck LeBeau back next season.

He acknowledged the possibility for change, but said "we're going to work to maintain continuity as we always do."

[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12009/1202407-100.stm#ixzz1j1h9mU16"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12009/12 ... z1j1h9mU16[/url]

I wonder if Mike has heard the old saying about those who don't learn from the past

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers veteran nose tackle Hampton will avoid surgery

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, January 13, 2012



An ACL injury that Casey Hampton suffered last Sunday will not require surgery at this time, something that helps in regard to the veteran nose tackle's future with the Steelers.

Hampton, who got hurt in the Steelers' 29-23 overtime loss to Denver in an AFC wild-card playoff game, will try to work his way back from the knee injury with a combination of rest and treatment.

Hampton just completed his 11th season with the team, and there is no guarantee the five-time Pro Bowler will return in 2012, even if his knee isn't an issue. He is set to make about $5 million this season.

Hampton is going into the final year of the three-year, $21.2 million deal he signed in February of 2010. The Steelers, who are more than $20 million over the projected salary cap in 2012, could save close to $5 million by releasing the 33-year-old Hampton. They could also try to restructure Hampton's contract.

The 6-foot-1, 325-pound Hampton has been a vital piece in Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense. His ability to clog the middle and occupy blockers is why the Steelers have consistently been among the NFL's top rushing defenses.

The Steelers were No. 8 against the run this season (99.8 yards allowed per game).

SURGERY FOR POUNCEY, LEGURSKY

Maurkice Pouncey underwent surgery on his left ankle Thursday, the All-Pro center said on his Twitter account. Guard Doug Legursky wrote on his Twitter page that he is scheduled to have shoulder surgery today.

Pouncey missed three of the Steelers' last four games, including the loss to Denver, because of his second high ankle-sprain since his rookie year. Pouncey first sprained his left ankle last January, forcing him to miss the Super Bowl.

Legursky hurt his shoulder in the Steelers' 27-0 win over St. Louis on Dec. 24. He did not play the following week but started at center against the Broncos.

Legursky is one of the Steelers' seven restricted free agents.

POWERING UP

Opposing defensive players that did not enjoy trying to tackle Isaac Redman probably won't like to hear what the bruising running back discussed with Steelers conditioning coordinator Garrett Giemont.

"I talked to him about working on power, because when you work on power, it brings speed," Redman said. "That's the main thing I'm trying to work on."

Redman rushed for 215 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers' last two games. He took over as a feature back in the regular-season finale, after Rashard Mendenhall went down with a torn ACL.

In his second NFL start, Redman rushed for 121 yards on 17 carries against the Broncos.

"If I didn't perform at a high level, that would have shocked me," Redman said. "I have all the confidence in the world when I step out on the field."

A HELPING HAND

Wide receiver Mike Wallace and cornerback Keenan Lewis grew up together in New Orleans, and Lewis plans on helping his childhood friend get ready for the Pro Bowl while the two are home.

Does that mean that Wallace, who will start for the AFC Pro Bowl team, will pay Lewis back by taking him to Hawaii at the end of the month?

"He should take me," Lewis said with a grin, "but I'm also going to show my support and help him out."

Steelers quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner is among those that Ben Roethlisberger is taking to Hawaii as his guest.

POLAMALU WINS FINE

Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu won his appeal of a $10,000 fine for using a cell phone on the sidelines during a game Oct. 16 against Jacksonville, according to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

Polamalu borrowed the phone from a team doctor after leaving the Jaguars game with concussion-like symptoms and called his wife to tell her he was OK.

The NFL prohibits the possession of cell phones in teams' bench areas 90 minutes before kickoff until the end of games.

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