Bruce Gradkowski knows how tough Ben Roethlisberger is. He also knows how often Roethlisberger has been injured, so the Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback is preparing for the possibility that he ends up starting a game or several games this season.
Bruce Gradkowski prepares for any possibility with Steelers
New Steelers quarterback Bruce Gradkowski knows he will likely be called upon at some point this season.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
“That’s true,” Gradkowski told the Tribune-Review. “In this game, you never know what is going to happen.”
Gradkowski took most of the snaps with the first team at the Steelers’ practice on Thursday, the only practice that the team will have at Heinz Field this offseason. Next time he will be on the Steelers’ home field he may be taking all the snaps with the starters, and it will be in a real game.
For more on Roethlisberger's recovery visit: Behind the Steel Curtain
Roethlisberger is recovering from minor surgery, and while the expectation is that he will be back in time for the start of training camp, he could find himself sidelined with another injury by the time Week 1 comes around. Roethlisberger has only played all 16 games once in his nine-year career and missed three games last season.
Knowing that there was a strong likelihood that they would need to go into some games without their starting quarterback, Pittsburgh decided to make some changes in the rest of the QB corps. They allowed Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch to leave, shedding their backup for four of the last five years and a player who had been with the team for 10 years.
In came Gradkowski, who hasn't started a game since 2010. They also drafted Landry Jones in the fourth round to be their third-string quarterback, giving them a completely different look at quarterback. The only familiar face is Roethlisberger and if history is any indication, that just means that the new faces better be ready to start a couple games.
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