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Report: Steelers "highly unlikely" to let Clark play

It's increasingly looking like the Pittsburgh Steelers have decided not to let Ryan Clark play in Denver Monday night, even if Clark wants to and the doctors have cleared him.

Jason La Canfora of NFL Network says unnamed league sources describe Clark as "highly unlikely" to play because of a rare sickle-cell trait that caused him life-threatening health problems the last time he played in Denver's high altitude. After that game, Clark needed emergency surgery to remove his spleen. He also had health problems after he played in Denver when he was a member of the Redskins in 2005 and had to miss the following week's game.

La Canfora writes that Clark wants to play, and that a final decision hasn't been made, but that the Steelers are widely expected to keep him off the field. Even though doctors have said he can play, the Steelers as an organization apparently view it as just too risky.

As Mike Florio noted in the latest PFTV segment, we can't help but feel respect for Clark for his willingness to put his own health on the line in order to compete. But we should also have plenty of respect for the Steelers for wanting to play it safe with the health of their starting free safety.

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