Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is recovering nicely from the calf injury that cost him the final two games of the regular season but is fighting a different battle now ahead of the NFL Divisional Playoffs.
The Steelers sent Brown home from practice Friday due to an illness, though he’s going to play Sunday.
Mike Tomlin says Antonio Brown was sent home w/ an illness, but that he's "looked really good" all week. Says Artie Burns and Stephon Tuitt were full participants today. #Steelers at full health for Sunday.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) January 12, 2018
Antonio Brown will play on Sunday despite being sent home from practice on Friday with an illness
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) January 12, 2018
The Steelers won their final two games without Brown in the lineup. And his absence actually might have been a blessing in disguise, as the likes of Eli Rogers and Martavis Bryant were able to get some good work in prior to the postseason.
However, there’s no way to replace Brown, especially going up against a top defense like Jacksonville’s. He led the entire NFL in receiving yards, even missing those final two games. And even in a brutally tough game for Ben Roethlisberger against the Jaguars early in the season, Brown came down with 10 catches for 157 yards.