Tuesday brought the start of organized team activities for the Steelers and the end of a long spell without football activities for center Maurkice Pouncey.
Pouncey tore his ACL and MCL a handful of snaps into the 2013 season and then missed the rest of the year while on injured reserve. Given how much time has passed since the injury, it’s no great shock that Pouncey was able to join his teammates on the field Tuesday but that doesn’t make it any less positive for the Steelers that Pouncey says his knee held up well in his return to on-field work.
“No problems at all,” Pouncey said, via Scott Brown of ESPN.com. “I was able to block guys and finish on some plays. It was pretty awesome.”
Brown pointed out a play that saw Pouncey block linebacker Ryan Shazier at the second level and then pop back to his feet after Shazier sent him to the turf while breaking free of the block as a sign of the center’s fitness. It’s just one practice, but it’s a good track for Pouncey to be on for the 2014 season and beyond.
Pouncey is entering the final year of his rookie deal and the Steelers were holding off on extension talks, but that could change now that he’s showing he should be 100 percent well ahead of camp and the regular season.