WR Holmes will not wear new Jets jersey until Week 5

Late Sunday night, wide receiver Santonio Holmes was shocked to be informed by his old team the Pittsburgh Steelers that he had been traded to the New York Jets, and early in the next day, he was stunned with another announcement that he is suspended for the first four regular-season games. Well, at least now he has time to get accustomed his role as a Jets receiver before appearing in his new Jets jersey.


The suspension will delay Holmes’ Jets regular-season debut to Week 5 and the Jets won’t have to pay him anything for the first four weeks. The suspension without pay is taken as punishment for the receiver’s violation against the league’s substance abuse policy. Actually it’s a risky move for the Jets to accept the deal for him with the Steelers as Holmes could be suspended for a whole season if he violates the league’s policy again.

What caused the Jets to be determined to acquire troubled Holmes from the Steelers could simply be the receiver’s talent in football. The 2009 Super Bowl MVP had his best season in 2009 with 79 catches for 1,248 yards and five touchdowns and has had 235 catches for 3,835 yards and 20 touchdowns since being drafted out of Ohio State by the Steelers as a first round pick in 2006.

Steelers QB Big Ben is fine enough to play this week

His fourth concussion since 2006 kept the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger from playing in his No. 7 NFL jersey against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, but it seems not to affect his playing status for this Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.


Coincidently, three years ago after he sustained the concussion while playing against the Atlanta Falcons in 2006 season, he also played the game against the Raiders without spending much time to take care of his head, and that game became one of the worst games of his career-he threw four interceptions, the Steelers lost to the Raiders at 13-20 and it was one of the Raiders’ only two wins of that season. Fortunately for this season, there is one game to miss after sustaining concussion and before playing against the Raiders, so Roethlisberger can have about two weeks to take care of his concussion.

The Steelers did not practice on Monday, but Roethlisberger still worked out on his own. No problem, according to Coach Mike Tomlin. And it is very likely that the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback will be available to play this Sunday.

It does not sound credible somewhat. Early last week after the overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on No.22, no one knew the quarterback had sustained concussion during the game and was having headaches. It was until Saturday when a team doctor recommended that Roethlisberger no to play that the quarterback was announced not to play last weekend’s game against the Ravens. Surprises and worries caught many people. They just have to worry whether history will repeat while Big Ben plays against the Raiders after suffering his second concussion in less than a year. Hope all have been honest with their words.

Steelers’ safety Polamalu has been ruled out for Sunday game

After missing all week’s practice with a left knee injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has been ruled out for this Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.


Polamalu missed four of Steelers’ past five games because of a ligament tear and injured the same knee again on his first returning game: last Sunday’s 18-12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. And it is very likely that he will miss more than one game after being injured again, but perhaps less than four because the latest injury to a different ligament seems less serious than the previous one.

Along with Polamalu, defensive end Travis Kirscheke has also been rule out of this Sunday’s game and it will be the third consecutive he will miss since tearing his left calf muscle. Originally filling in for Aaron Smith who is out for season with a torn right rotator cuff, Kirschke will be replaced by Nick Eason this Sunday. And Tyrone Carter will put on his Steelers jersey and start in replacing Polamalu.

Steelers safety Polamalu sat out second straight practice Thursday

The Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu sat out his second straight day of practice while looking after his injured left knee, but he is still expected to play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings if he is able to practice on Friday.


After a four-game layoff with a torn medical collateral ligament, Polamalu managed to return and make an interception Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately he jammed his knee into the turf once during that game. However, later Coach Mike Tomlin indicated Polamalu was not reinjured on the play.

Polamalu is not believed to have had a setback in his rehabilitation, so as long as he could practice Friday, he will be seen wearing his No. 43 Steelers jersey in Sunday’s game as the Steelers usually require a player to practice only once in advance of a game.

Steelers RB Moore remains out with hamstring injury

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Mewelde Moore has been out of practice since he injured hamstring on Aug. 4. Although he is still unsure when he will be back with the team, he is certain that he will play for the Sept. 10 opener against Tennessee Titans.


“Fortunately, or unfortunately, I’ve been in a situation like this before where I had something and I wasn’t able to get as many (practice carries) throughout the preseason and I still managed to play the season,” Moore said Tuesday. “I’ve always taken pride in that (playing a full season).”

As a third-down back, Moore ran for 588 yards and five touchdowns last season, with an average of 90 yards in four starts while filling in for the injured Willie Parker. He also had a season-high 120 yards and managed to score three times against Cincinnati. No wonder coach Mike Tomlin expects him to return quickly.