If the Pittsburgh Steelers discovered themselves in a pinch in the course of the Wild Card spherical of the 2024 playoffs towards the Baltimore Ravens, they might have had reinforcements out there. Cole Holcomb spoke to the media for the primary time since his severe knee harm within the 2023 season and talked about his readiness on the finish of final season.
“I felt good, however speaking, most likely wouldn’t have been the very best concept,” Holcomb stated in a video by Pittsburgh’s DSEN on YouTube. “However I felt prepared in the event that they wanted me. Mike T. [Tomlin] was like, you look good. In the event that they wanted me, I’d’ve been prepared. However they didn’t want me. So all people stayed wholesome.”
Holcomb was initially injured in Week 9 of the 2023 season. When Mike Tomlin spoke to the media forward of coaching camp final 12 months, he stated that they anticipated all gamers to be wholesome and able to go. There was a short interval the place it appeared doable that Holcomb would take part in coaching camp, however he ended up opening the season on Reserve/PUP on the finish of coaching camp.
It’s unclear when precisely he was deemed wholesome sufficient to return, however we all know for sure that he would have been prepared in a pinch within the playoffs towards the Baltimore Ravens. Maybe if that they had received a sport, he would have ended up contributing within the divisional spherical.
His presence in that sport towards the Ravens most likely wouldn’t have made a distinction, however they positive may have used one other strong run defender as they bought gashed for 299 dashing yards.
Holcomb remained near the workforce whereas injured and even traveled with them to some away video games. HBO’s Exhausting Knocks confirmed him behind the scenes a number of occasions with the workforce whereas he was out in the course of the season.
In 2023, the Steelers had terrible luck with well being on the ILB place. That utterly rotated in 2024 with all three gamers taking part in all 18 video games, together with the playoff loss.
Elandon Roberts is not on the roster, however the Steelers added former Ravens LB Malik Harrison on a two-year, $10 million contract. Holcomb will likely be competing for a job in a crowded and extremely proficient ILB room towards Harrison, Patrick Queen, and Payton Wilson.
When wholesome, Holcomb was beginning to look nice in black and gold. His final full sport was a 10-tackle efficiency with a fumble restoration, and he had two pressured fumbles and 4 tackles for loss, alongside along with his 54 whole tackles in a little bit over seven video games performed.
The ILB group is immediately among the many deepest and most proficient models on the complete workforce. Don’t depend Holcomb out after his lengthy battle again from harm.
