The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Steelers backups are ready to fill in
Stevan Ridley figured he would have to wait until 2018 to get a shot at reviving his career.
The running back spent most of the fall working out, trying to watch his weight and hoping a job offer would pop up. As the weeks passed, Ridley started to wonder if one ever would.
Until, suddenly they weren’t.
When Pittsburgh Steelers rookie James Conner went down with a right knee injury in a loss to New England on Dec. 17, the AFC North champions found themselves in need of some
depth behind Le’Veon Bell. Two weeks later, Ridley could find himself carrying a substantial load when the Steelers (12-3) wrap up the regular season Sunday against the winless Browns (0-15).
Pittsburgh is weighing whether to sit Bell, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a handful of other starters to give them extra rest before the playoffs. Bell and Roethlisberger were held out of practice Friday, and neither is injured.
While Ridley and backup quarterback Landry Jones both played coy when asked about their potential roles, Ridley is grateful it’s even a topic of conversation.
“Been at the house, been on the couch (so) whatever they throw my way, I’m excited to have it,” Ridley said. “I’m going to go out there and make the most of it.”
Ridley carried nine times for 28 yards during Pittsburgh’s Christmas Day blowout victory over Houston, allowing him the chance to shake off considerable rust.
Despite winning a Super Bowl ring with Tom Brady & Co. in 2014, Ridley found himself looking for work when 2015 ended. He bounced among five teams in less than two years before landing in Pittsburgh.
The same goes for Jones, who hasn’t thrown a meaningful pass since last New Year’s Day in a comeback victory over the Browns while filling in for Roethlisberger during a meaningless season finale. Jones jokingly said he could “neither confirm nor deny” whether he will play this time, though he will almost certainly get snaps.