Report: Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey undergoes second surgery on injured ankle

Following Mike Tomlin's weekly press conference Tuesday, he stated Pittsburgh Steelers' All Pro center Maurkice Pouncey had not undergone a second surgery on his leg, and that he was "confident" of his return to the team during the 2015 season.

Thursday evening reports surfaced of Pouncey's second surgical procedure being complete, and his return to the team certainly in jeopardy depending on how the body recovers from the infection which caused him to have a second surgery.

Per Dejan Kovacevic of DKonPittsburghSports.com, sources close to the situation said Pouncey's second surgery went smoothly.

The surgery, performed at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte, N.C., involved removing some hardware from his initial surgery two months ago, as well as an irrigation and debridement of an infected area and a specialized wound dressing to the foot, according to the source. The fibula is healing as expected, but, the source cautioned, returning from the infection itself is seen as highly uncertain.

Pouncey's ankle was broken in the team's third preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Heinz Field when Ha Ha Clinton-Dix rolled into the center's leg while pulling on a running play. Pouncey's return will be based solely on how his body responds to treatment of his infection, which as stated is anything but certain.

The Steelers have been fortunate to have Cody Wallace on the roster, an experienced player with the team who has filled in admirably for a player who is nearly irreplaceable in terms of his talent level at the center position. Since the Steelers placed Pouncey on the IR-designated to return list, he is eligible to return to the team throughout the 2015 season.