Looking ahead to the session …
• What: Steelers practice
• When: 1:15-3:15 p.m.
• Where: Rooney Sports Complex
• Media availabilities: 12:30-12:45 p.m., 3:15-3:40 p.m.
3:36: There were no Antonio Brown sightings around the team facility again today but the Steelers remain confident the All-Pro receiver will be ready when the team opens postseason play Jan .14 at Heinz Field.
A number of players told me they don't believe there's any way Brown isn't ready for that game.
"We know AB's work ethic and his ability," Darrius Heyward-Bey told me. "We have confidence he'll be ready."
Brown has not played or practiced since suffering a calf injury early in the second quarter of a 27-24 loss to New England Dec. 17. He would have nearly a full month to be ready to go.
Despite not playing the final two weeks of the regular season, he led the NFL with 1,533 receiving yards this season.
3:20: Offensive line coach Mike Munchak's interview with the Arizona Cardinals for their vacant head coaching position will take place in Pittsburgh this weekend.
3:15: Todd Haley said Thursday the team has assessed his incident that occurred on Pittsburgh’s North Shore in the hours after the team’s 28-24 victory over Cleveland New Year’s Eve and it is non-issue for the organization.
Reports surfaced Tuesday that Haley had been involved in an incident at Tequila Cowboy, a club located just a block from Heinz Field on New Year’s Eve in which the 50-year-old assistant coach was pushed to the ground and suffered a hip injury.
Haley was back at practice Wednesday, however, and completed his usual meeting with the media Thursday.
“A few nights ago, unfortunately, I was in a situation, a situation not of my doing,” Haley said. “It has been made clear to me that it is a non-issue to both the team and the Steelers organization. My sole focus is to prepare for next week’s playoff game and so it won’t be addressed further.”
The Steelers (13-3) are currently practicing during their bye week in the playoffs. They are scheduled to host their first playoff game at 1:05 p.m. Jan. 14 against an opponent that has yet to be determined.
The organization has not addressed Haley’s situation.
11:00: Le'Veon Bell was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for December, the second time in his career the Steelers running back has won the honor.
Given his productivity, it's actually kind of surprising he has only won the award twice. The other came in December of last season.
Bell averaged 142.3 yards from scrimmage per game, scoring six touchdowns in just four games last month. He sat out the Steelers' regular season finale against Cleveland.
His play helped the Steelers to a 4-1 record in December.
THE SETUP
Reminder: We can’t report what we see in NFL practices, per league guidelines. So we’ll always just use this space for any allowable updates, as well as a quick repository for news after the practice and media availability.
It's Thursday, so the Steelers' coordinators will be available after practice. I wonder what Todd Haley will be asked about? It's a bye week, so the team does not have to release an injury report. I'll put any immediate news of note here on this live file, then I’ll have full coverage later.