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So much for the "hot hand" theory.
Recently (somewhat) vindicated left tackle Mike Adams will return to the bench if Kelvin Beachum is able to play, or so hinted Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley when he met with the media Thursday.
"I would think he earned the right to be in there right now," offensive coordinator Todd Haley said, as quoted by Mike Prisuta. "He played at a pretty high level for us while he was in there against good competition. "He’s earned every right, as much as anybody else has to be in there and playing."
Adams filled in for Beachum in Pittsburgh's Week 14 loss to Miami, and played admirably, especially considering the competition. Adams was Pittsburgh's Week 1 starter at left tackle, but was benched by Week 6, after four consecutive poor outings.
Perhaps Adams will have a chance to wrest the job from Beachum this offseason, but it seems the Steelers will stick with general continuity over the one-week-wonder.
And that makes sense. Losing a job due to injury isn't necessarily the best system to have in place, especially if the injured player is able to play a week later, and the back-up was benched due to performance earlier in the season. Adams can go through the remainder of the season as a role player, and continue to develop. He'll likely get his chance to compete to earn his spot back in the offseason.
That will make both players better - something the Steelers desperately need across the board for 2014.
