You can put to rest any speculation that Antonio Brown won't play in Denver on Sunday when the Steelers travel there to play the Broncos.
That came into question earlier this summer when former Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes said during an interview with KDKA 93.7-FM that Brown carries the sickle-cell trait.
"What's he, a doctor?" Brown said Friday after the Steelers completed their final full practice in preparation for Sunday's game.
People who carry the sickle-cell trait can have issues with their red blood cells when taking part in strenuous activity at high altitudes.
The issue was on the minds of Steelers fans this week because of what happened to former Steelers safety Ryan Clark during a 2007 game in Denver. Clark developed a serious pain in his side while playing against the Broncos and had to be rushed to a hospital. It was found he was suffering from issues caused by carrying the sickle-cell trait and playing at a high altitude.
Clark eventually had his spleen and gall bladder removed because of the incident. He missed the rest of that season and never played another game in Denver again.
Mike Tomlin wouldn't reveal if any of his current players carry the same trait but said the team will closely monitor the situation.
"I think that’s something everybody does globally in the National Football League and in college football," Tomlin said. "Unfortunately for Ryan, I think he was a test-case in that regard. I think he’s changed protocol for a lot of people, and I know that he’s personally proud of that. His personal discomfort and misfortune, I think, has really made it a lot safer for a multitude of others at a variety of levels of ball."
As for Brown, he has played in Denver on two previous occasions — once in the regular season and once in the playoffs — with no issues.