Stewart will do what’s needed, but only at quarterback
PITTSBURGH – With Tommy Maddox designated to be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback Sunday, Bill Cowher was asked at his Tuesday press conference what he might do with Kordell Stewart. “Might consider anything,” Cowher said.
Stewart said yesterday that that’s all fine, but Cowher can forget about reprising the Slash role for Stewart that he played so well during his early years with the team.
“Ain’t happening,” Stewart said. “Like I said, quarterback only. That’s what I am on this football team. That’s what I’ve been and that’s where we’re going to stay.”
Reporters persisted. Stewart was asked if he might be party to any trick plays?
“Let’s wait and see,” Stewart said.
So the door’s open?
“No. It’s closed. But let’s wait and see.”
You can be a situation-
“Quarterback only.”
But certain situations-
“Quarterback only.”
As a situational quarterback?
“Quarterback only.”
What about short yardage?
“Quarterback only.”
Stewart made his case quite clear, so he was asked about his future.
“When you’re on this football team, it’s business first and you’re a business entity,” he said. “When you handle it in that fashion, it will cause you to say the right things, do the right things, respond in the right way and not become selfish. That’s the way I have to handle it. It’s the only way I know how to handle it. I’ve always had confidence in my skills and abilities. It’s just a matter of, when I get the opportunity again, going out and proving it again. It’s a team effort and everything else will take care of itself if I take care of today.”
Reed honored
Steelers rookie kicker Jeff Reed was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after making 6 field goals in 6 attempts Sunday during the team’s 25-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Reed not only tied Gary Anderson’s team record by making kicks from 25, 29, 30, 46, 33 and 50 yards, he became the first rookie in NFL history to kick that many field goals without a miss in one game. Reed is 9 of 10 in field-goal attempts since joining the Steelers.
“The one he missed you could see the foot slip on the 50-yard line,” said coach Bill Cowher. “I have a lot of faith in him.”
Cowher was asked how a kicker as seemingly talented as Reed could fall through the cracks.
“I don’t know. This wasn’t the first place Gary Anderson kicked at either,” Cowher said. “I mean, I don’t know. I remember that Tuesday though. It was a gloomy Tuesday. I got to brighten it up by spending time with you guys, and then I went down to Heinz Field. I remember catching balls and watching them kick and thinking to myself, ‘What the heck am I doing down here on this field right before the (WPIAL) playoffs started?’ But I remember watching him kick. We had four guys down there kicking. Maybe we found a guy down there. I don’t know. I’ll go down there every Tuesday if we can find players like that.”
Practice notes
The Steelers practiced outside in the chilly weather yesterday because “this is what we’re going to play in so we might as well get acclimated. Hopefully it’ll be a little warmer (Sunday) than it is today.”
Will it be an advantage?
“Obviously, (Houston)’s coming from the south. But it’s more for us. It’s going to be a little transition if you haven’t been in it. For us, if it’s warmer than it was today, which I think it probably will be, it’ll be a great day.”
Jerome Bettis (nose), Chidi Iwuoma (knee), Marvel Smith (elbow), Jeff Hartings (knee) and Hines Ward (hamstring) missed practice or all but individual drills. Iwuoma, Smith and Ward are expected back today. Bettis is expected back Friday.