/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50409745/usa-today-8763206.0.jpg)
Throughout the craziness of the 2015 Pittsburgh Steelers season, a lot of fans forgot about Maurkice Pouncey.
You can't blame them, especially when names like Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams and Ryan Shazier also missed time throughout the campaign, but Pouncey will be making his 2016 debut, and his first game action in almost a full calendar year, when he plays against the Philadelphia Eagles this Thursday night at Heinz Field.
Tomlin. Pouncey will play
— Chris Bradford (@BCTBradford) August 16, 2016
Pouncey, along with several other regulars on offense, did not play in the preseason game against the Detroit Lions last Friday, but will hopefully see very limited action Thursday to get the proverbial rust off as the preseason continues. It is hard to believe, but the last time fans saw Pouncey in a game was against the Green Bay Packers in the 2015 preseason, while Ha Ha Clinton Dix rolled into his leg, ending his season.
Pouncey will be back, but the man he will be snapping the football to won't be Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger, along with Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown and DeAngelo Williams, will be spectators for the second week in a row. Mike Tomlin will be turning his attention to Landry Jones and Dustin Vaughan as the two quarterbacks on the Steelers' roster for the game Thursday night as Bruce Gradkoswki sits with an injured hamstring.
As for the defensive side of the football, Tomlin is hopeful to get the team's first round draft pick, Artie Burns his first live reps in an NFL stadium, but will have to see his availability at Tuesday and Wednesday's practices before making that decision. As Tomlin always says, "We will leave the door open for them to play."
The Steelers will host the Eagles at Heinz Field this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. EDT.