PITTSBURGH — Days away from making his second profession begin, Pittsburgh Steelers first-round sort out Troy Fautanu sustained an harm in Friday’s apply, making his standing for Sunday’s dwelling opener in opposition to the L.A. Chargers unsure.
Fautanu, who sprained his left MCL within the first preseason recreation, left apply Friday after “just a little tweak,” fellow sort out Broderick Jones confirmed after apply. With Fautanu’s early exit, Jones, who the Steelers traded as much as choose within the first spherical of the 2023 draft, stepped in and practiced with the primary group offensive line at proper sort out simply days after being benched throughout the win in opposition to the Denver Broncos.
“We actually do not know what his standing goes to be,” Jones stated of Fautanu. “I stuffed in for him after which simply going to roll from there after he will get his MRI and stuff, and we’ll simply determine what is going on on from there.
“The coach goes to make the choice on the finish of the day. We obtained two days, he obtained a day and a half to relaxation, no matter it’s. I actually do not even know what occurred to him. I ain’t seen him but, so we simply determine it out and go from there.”
Fautanu obtained his first profession begin in Denver, however coach Mike Tomlin stated he initially deliberate to rotate tackles in that recreation. Jones, although, dedicated three penalties in a six-play span and obtained changed by Fautanu for the remainder of the sport.
“I performed dangerous,” Jones stated this week of the Week 2 recreation. “That is all that issues on the finish of the day. You f— up, you get pulled.
“That is all it’s. I’ve simply obtained to be higher. Proceed to develop as a participant, as a person and take the great with the dangerous.”
Tomlin voiced his assist for Jones in his Tuesday information convention and stated Jones would have “a possibility to rebound” this week.
“He is a gifted younger participant,” Tomlin stated. “I am certain he suffered some disappointment by way of Troy beginning. It is a pure factor, however he is obtained to maneuver previous it. I obtained to provide him a possibility to maneuver previous it as a pacesetter.”
To assist curb the in-game penalties, the Steelers had officers at apply each day this week. Usually, the group hosts officers just for Friday’s apply.
“It provides us suggestions on the issues we are able to work on, or the issues they could see which will hinder us from doing what we have to do throughout the recreation, so it is good,” Jones stated.
Jones added he was able to rebound if given the chance, and he is not dwelling on his penalty-laden efficiency.
“I really feel like I obtained higher this week throughout apply for probably the most half,” Jones stated. “Simply obtained to proceed to simply keep upright, as a result of it is a lengthy season and at all times making an attempt to simply deal with the physique as a lot as doable.”
