On Sunday in Cleveland, in the immediate aftermath of the Steelers' 21-18 victory over the Browns, it was gloom and doom.
Stephon Tuitt, fresh off signing a six-year contract the day before, began the 2017 season like gangbusters. On each of the first two plays of the game, Tuitt burst into the Browns backfield to hold the first to a 1-yard gain and turn the second into a 9-yard loss.
But Tuitt left the field immediately following the second play, never to return to the game, and as the Steelers were riding buses back to Pittsburgh, there was a tweet predicting Tuitt's season was over because of a torn biceps that was going to require surgery to repair.
Come Monday in Pittsburgh, Tuitt had undergone a preliminary examination, and upon returning from that to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex he informed some of his teammates that the gloom and doom was premature. His injury wasn't season-ending.
Cam Heyward broke the news during the team's media availability session – that Tuitt's injury wasn't season-ending – and then Coach Mike Tomlin piled on with more good news today.
"I guess you guys know about Stephon Tuitt's situation," said Tomlin during his weekly news conference. "It's really positive compared to what it could be. His injury to his biceps is not season-ending. He was evaluated yesterday, and we're optimistic there. His short-term availability is in question. We'll go through the week and see what he looks like day by day. See if he's functional. See if he has strength. See if it's safe. And if it is, we'll let him play. That'll be revealed to us as we get through the week."
As a follow-up, Tomlin was asked if he was suggesting that there is a "remote possibility that Tuitt could play this week?"
Tomlin answered, "There is."
As for the rest of the team's injury situation, Tomlin said, "J.J. Wilcox came in on Monday expressing concussion-like symptoms. He has been in the protocol ever since. I don't know where he is in that process, but we'll err on the side of caution as we always do and do what's appropriate from that standpoint.
"Other than that, just the normal bumps and bruises associated with playing."
