Inside Acrisure Stadium 426 days in the past, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb left the sport on a cart and spent the night time within the hospital. A extreme knee harm he suffered made it honest to marvel if not when Holcomb would play once more. Quick ahead to right this moment and for the primary time, Holcomb returned to the observe discipline. Although he nonetheless stays on Reserve/PUP and will not have a right away return to stadium motion, it was a large milestone to examine off.
Chatting with reporters Tuesday, Holcomb admitted he was initially not sure if even returning to observe was doable.
“It was dangerous,” Holcomb mentioned of his harm through the workforce web site. “I do know there was that query [of never playing again]. However they simply instructed me, ‘In the event you go to work and you may come again, you might be good.’”
Holcomb suffered the devastating harm throughout a Thursday night time recreation towards the Tennessee Titans after colliding with teammate Keanu Neal whereas each had been in protection. Holcomb instantly grabbed his knee and was carted away, his season immediately over. Specifics of the harm weren’t totally revealed however a 13-month rehab alerts one thing much more extreme than an ACL tear.
It wasn’t till March there was a glimpse into his restoration. Cole Holcomb shared a video of him understanding at well-known coach Pete Bommarito’s’ facility, sporting a sleeve however no seen brace on his injured left leg. Although there was some optimism he may return for coaching camp, the Steelers reworked his contract, signaling that he would start the yr sidelined. Pittsburgh positioned him on the PUP record, shifting him to Reserve/PUP forward of the common season.
Holcomb returned to observe Tuesday, getting in a restricted session usually outlined as particular person work with the remainder of his place group. Lengthy nights, lonely days, and numerous questions simply to get again to at least one observe. However one price it for Holcomb, who used household as motivation when issues acquired particularly tough.
“I like this recreation. I additionally simply had a child. They depend on you, spouse and child,” Holcomb mentioned, revealing his daughter was born June 28.
Pittsburgh served him properly to remain engaged. Many groups received’t convey gamers on injured reserve on the highway. Holcomb incessantly travelled with the workforce, together with for its most up-to-date away recreation towards the Baltimore Ravens. Being round teammates and feeling a part of the workforce is essential for injured gamers to remain engaged and proceed pushing.
Returning to regular-season motion this season may show difficult. Pittsburgh might solely have two extra weeks earlier than its season ends, a timeline probably too fast for Holcomb to placed on a helmet. Discovering a task for him would even be difficult given the well being and play of Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, and Payton Wilson. However these are inquiries to be contemplated later. For the second, Holcomb is again with teammates.
The Steelers is perhaps on a dropping streak however Holcomb? He’s successful massive.
