Maurkice Pouncey ready to make 2017 debut for the Steelers vs. the Colts

In the preseason, NFL teams don’t have to release exactly what is wrong with a player, and why they might be missing time. They could give general terms like “upper body injury” or give zero information at all. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, Maurkice Pouncey fell into the last category.

Pouncey missed the majority of training camp with an undisclosed injury, leaving fans simply guessing as to the exact injury which kept him out of practices. All the public knew was Pouncey was seen with a wrap on his leg.

As the team is prepared for their third preseason game Saturday vs. the Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shines a light on just what happened to Pouncey.

Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and James Harrison are cleared to play Saturday, but center Maurkice Pouncey wants to get some run, too. Pouncey had missed a few weeks of practice after taking a cleat to the leg, requiring a few stitches. He says he's ready to play as many snaps as necessary vs. the Colts.

The good news is it wasn’t an infection in his leg, the same injury which ended his 2015 season after breaking his ankle in a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, Pouncey being in the lineup will be the first time this preseason all five starting offensive linemen will be on the field, and they will do so with their field general, Ben Roethlisberger, for the first time as well.

At this point the hope turns to two things: productivity and health. Like they did in the third preseason game in 2016 against the Saints, the Steelers scored on both offensive drives, looked phenomenal, and called it a night until Week 1 of the regular season.

Here is to the same result against the Colts Saturday at Heinz Field.