LATROBE (93.7 The Fan) – Tackle Broderick Jones believes he can be a starter again, but the Steelers 2023 first-round pick also admits he’s got a journey before that could happen.
Jones is working his way back from a neck injury suffered during the Week 11 game in Chicago. When it first happened, he told us on Thursday, he thought it was a stinger. As he went into the injury tent and still didn’t have feeling, the team wanted an MRI and it was the first thought it was something different.
By the next day, Jones said he actually felt the best he’s ever felt after a game and was surprised when hearing from Steelers medical staff he was immediately ruled out for the season. It was an eye-opener because he’d never really had a major injury in his young football career.
“It was a shock, but God always has plans for us,” Jones told reporters after competing in his second day of Steelers camp. “It’s nothing I can’t overcome. I just gotta continue to battle through it.”
Steelers receiver DK Metcalf had a similar injury in high school. And he shares an agent with Asante Samuel, both of those players really helped him through the tough times. Jones estimates he spent three to four months not being able to do anything.
He lost a lot of weight, and strength, and has worked hard recently to get back to 300 pounds.
“I'm still working through it,” Jones said. “I wouldn't say I'm where I want to be at, you know, just trying to get back in shape and putting the weight back on in the right places. But it's good being out here, here with the team and in Latrobe because that's what this is for.”
Jones hopes to add back another 10-15 pounds
“That’s my biggest focus, my technique and my strength,” Jones said. “Because at the end of the day, that’s all it comes down to.”
His recent tests have come back great and he’s on the field working the left side mainly, but also a bit on the right. Even though he was the 14th overall pick and has played 45 NFL games in three seasons, he’ll do anything right now to return to the field with his friends.
“Wherever the team need to, as I just got back, it's only my second day,” Jones said. “I'm not trying to rush trying to get back into the starting lineup because, you know it's things and plans in place for that. So, I'm just trying to stay the course.”
As he attempts to get back on the field, the tackle position is more crowded than when he left it. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy moved Troy Fautanu over to his former starting position at left tackle and the team spent its first-round pick on tackle Max Iheanachor.
“It's a business,” Jones said. “I was in the same situation when I came in and Dan (Moore) was here. So it was the same way, it wasn't really a shock for me because I was hurt. You never know what the future holds. So it's business decision on their part. I just got to continue what I can do for the team and then just try and go from there.”
Right now, Jones is focused on getting healthy. The other pieces of the puzzle will come after.
2023 1st round pick discusses injury and thoughts on return
2023 1st round pick discusses injury and thoughts on return
