Head Coach Mike TomlinMonday, August 4Coach Mike Tomlin: I thought we had a significant day today. This morning I thought as a football team, we were in survival mode. Hopefully there was a feeling that we may have crossed a threshold this afternoon where they were enjoying it and not enduring it. We are thriving. Only time will tell and we will see what it's like tomorrow when we come out here and get us a couple in. There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm in the afternoon. The guys came and competed. That's what training camp is about. You go through a process, you know. You break the group down, you break the bodies down if you will and you build them back up and get ready for action. Maybe it was a significant afternoon, we'll see. On the injury front, we have a laundry list of day-to-day guys here. James Harrison had a groin, he is day to day. Limas Sweed is day to day with a hamstring. Deshea is day to day with a groin. Humpal continues to be day to day with his hamstring. Sherrod, Dezmond, continues to be day to day with his neck. Trucks is day to day with a back. Brett Keisel is day to day with a groin. Kendall Simmons is day to day with a shoulder. He is going to be fine, more precautionary than anything else, as was Marvel Smith. It was more of a coach's decision than anything else. He will be back tomorrow. The rest of the guys are status quo. I will answer any questions.
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One of your three PUP guys came back today. What are your thoughts on Chris and how is he going to fit in now?
It is great to get him back, of course. You know, this guy is a guy that likes to work. He is very prepared. He had a nice offseason. He came in in great condition. His protective device came in this morning at about ten-thirty and I told him that I'd see him after lunch. We went out and worked and it's great to have him back.
How behind is he?
How many days have we been here? That is how far he is behind, but he is a professional and I'm sure he will catch up relatively quickly.
What do you think of Dixon?
He has to get used to the pro game. A couple times he scrambled there for what he thinks is a first down which will stop the clock. If we were in college football, that'd be great. In the National Football League, man, that clock is running. You know, those are the kind of growing pains that we are going through. It is great to get him in there with the first group and surrounded by some guys that know what they are doing and get to work. I thought from that standpoint it was very good.
Is he behind mentally with the offense?
That would be a stretch to say that.
The other guy did pretty good?
He did, he is a William and Mary man, what do you expect?
Mike, we ask you every day, but we will do it again, about Troy and Casey. Any news on that front?
No new news on those guys. It's status quo in both cases.
Mike, when is Daniel's surgery scheduled, and also, will you make a roster move?
Daniel's surgery is scheduled for Wednesday and the roster move has already been made.
How many guys on that laundry list are in jeopardy of not being able to play on Friday?
We will know. We don't want to rule anybody out. I guess I will let you guys know Wednesday at our press conference who we've ruled out at that point. I don't want to count anybody out at this point. We've seen some miraculous recoveries here at training camp. Hopefully we get a few.
Was the field goal Reed missed because of the new rule?
It just wasn't clearly down the middle, so I just wanted to continue to practice.
Mike, you got on Bruce Davis a little bit. How do you think he responded to that?
That's been the story with Bruce. Again, he's a young man that is playing catch up. He didn't spend a lot of time here during the off season, but he is on the come, he really is. He is in great shape. He's out here working. He's on the come. He's getting better. You know, he has to go through this process.
Reed is a pretty good kicker though. What are your thoughts on having him at camp again and the great year he had last year. And what it's like to have a kicker of his talent on this football team.
You know, this team loves Jeff Reed. He had a great year last year. He is part of the group. He works at it. He wants to deliver and I think more than anything we look at that position and we see the personality trait that we like. This guy, he wants to deliver. I know his teammates understand him in that way and appreciate it, as do I.
