Maurkice Pouncey says he doesn’t have any restrictions in Steelers practice
By Cory Buck
Maurkice Pouncey missed all but eight snaps of the 2013 season and the Pittsburgh Steelers paid dearly for it. Without their star center in the fold, the Steelers lost their first four games of the season en route to an 8-8 finish. Now, after having torn his ACL and MCL in that first game of the season, Pouncey is excited to lead the Pittsburgh comeback and get back to their winning ways.
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On Tuesday, according to TSN, Maurkice Pouncey returned to team activities for the first team since his injury.
"“Yeah, it was my first time doing live action. … I didn’t have any restrictions. It was pretty neat to dry-block some guys and finish on some plays, it was pretty awesome. So, it was great. There were no problems at all.”"
Pouncey’s return is great news for a team that suffered from putrid line play last season. Center is one of those positions that flies under the radar until a team loses their starting player at the position. It’s easy to forget just how important a good center is as far as play calling and blocking schemes are concerned. If the five big guys up front can’t get on the same page, the best running or passing play is for nothing.
As a result of Pouncey’s injury, the typically run-oriented Steelers were reduced to being the 27th ranked running team in 2013. Now, the team hopes to get back to its roots on the field so it can get back to big AFC playoff games.