Die Saalfelds » Antonio Brown was sent home from Steelers practice

Friday Tony Pollard Jersey , but it wasn’t because of the calf injury he’s been nursing for the past four weeks.

Brown was a full practice participant all week, but coach Mike Tomlin said Brown fell ill Friday. So Tomlin kept him away from the team two days prior to the Steelers’ divisional round playoff game Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

On their official injury report released late Friday afternoon, the Steelers listed Brown as questionable to play Sunday.

”I didn’t want him to get any of the guys who weren’t sick, sick,” Tomlin said. ”We’ll bring him back in the building (Saturday) and continue with his game readiness. We don’t have a lot of reservations about him from a physical health standpoint. We do need to get him well from an illness standpoint.”

Brown hasn’t played since he left a Dec. 17 game against the New England Patriots in the second quarter because of a contusion in his lower left leg. He returned to practice Monday and remains in line to appear in his 10th playoff game Sunday at Heinz Field.

Questions swirled surrounding the status of three other Steelers starters, but each of those defensive players on Friday insisted he will play against the Jaguars. Cornerback Artie Burns returned after sustaining a non-contact right knee injury Wednesday, defensive end Stephon Tuitt returned after an elbow injury limited him Wednesday and prevented him from practicing Thursday, and defensive lineman Javon Hargrave (back) came back after taking Thursday off.

Also, Tomlin said backup offensive lineman B.J. Finney (thigh injury sustained in the regular-season finale) was a full participant in practice for the second straight day.

Tomlin said he expects all his injured players to be available Sunday. The Steelers listed none on the ”play status” portion of their injury report Noah Fant Jersey , and each of them, separately, expressed they would play.

”I’m feeling good; I did all of my reps today in practice,” Burns said. ”I should be 100 percent (Sunday). I felt good out there. All of my movements were good. I feel like I was able to run with good speed. I just have to keep doing therapy and I’ll be good.”

Burns, like Tuitt, emerged from practice with a sizable wrap on the affected body part. But when asked if he was playing Sunday, Tuitt’s answer was, ”No doubt.”

”It went great today,” Tuitt also said. ”I moved my arm really well http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dalton-risner-jersey , pushed offensive line back. It felt great.”

Hargrave downplayed the significance of suddenly missing a practice three days before a playoff game.

”I just didn’t practice (Thursday), that’s all,” he said.

”I’m good. Ain’t nothing serious, I’m pretty sure,” Hargrave said. ”It really wasn’t too big; I just needed some rest, really. I practiced (Friday) and it was pretty good.”

—

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)Jonathan Allen knows Daron Payne can play through pain, but is glad his former Alabama teammate doesn’t have to with the Washington Redskins.Payne injured his left ankle when he was stepped on in practice, and coach Jay Gruden said the first-round pick is expected to miss two to three weeks. This is the second consecutive year the Redskins have had a defensive lineman they drafted in the first round from Alabama go down with a foot injury after Allen had his rookie season cut short five games in because of a Lisfranc sprain.”I feel like it’s going to be tough for him mentally just because he’s still `Bama-nized’ and he still thinks he has to push through everything Drew Lock Jersey ,” Allen said Saturday. ”But at the same time I’m like, `Payne, we’ve got to get you ready for the opening game, so just take it day-by-day, work your butt off and do what you’ve got to do to get back.”’Payne shrugged off questions after practice Friday when he got rolled up on but wasn’t on the field 24 hours later and wearing a walking boot. Gruden said Payne would be in the boot for about a week and downplayed the injury’s effect on the 13th overall pick ‘s acclimation process to the NFL.”He’s in great shape,” Gruden said. ”He’s big, strong, physical. He’ll probably get stronger in his two weeks working out. He’s in great shape, so it’s not a big deal. He’s already very smart http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dre_mont-jones-jersey , knows the defense, so he’s in great shape.”It’s still not a great development for the Redskins, who easily could plug in Payne as their starting nose tackle when the season begins. But because he and Payne no longer play at Alabama where players are counted on to gut out injuries, Allen isn’t worried about the missed time stunting Payne’s development.”He’s definitely going to try to rush it back, try to get out there as quickly as possible, but he’s going to be fine,” Allen said. ”Trust me. I have no doubt in my mind.”The two-to-three-week timeframe means Payne will likely miss the preseason opener Aug. 9 at the New England Patriots and possibly the second exhibition game Aug. 16 against the New York Jets. Washington still has good depth on the defensive line with Allen, Ziggy Hood, Anthony Lanier T.J. Hockenson Jersey , Matt Ioannidis and Phil Taylor, and the injuries to Payne and Stacy McGee (core muscle surgery) open the door for fifth-round pick Tim Settle to show what he can do and earn a spot in the rotation.”That means there’s more reps,” Settle said. ”I just want to show them that I can ball and I can hang in there with everybody else.”NOTES: CB Orlando Scandrick was held out of practice because of back spasms. … WR Josh Doctson said there was nothing to an Achilles tendon MRI he had before camp, calling it a ”tuneup.” The 2016 first-round pick has been bothered by Achilles tendon soreness off and on through his first two seasons.—