Antonio Brown Injury Update: Will Steelers Receiver Play Against Jacksonville Jaguars?

Following a calf injury, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown was expected to play in Sunday’s matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brown missed three games due to his injury but was expected to be in the lineup, said coach Mike Tomlin, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Brown, 29, was diagnosed with a partially torn calf muscle during Week 15, according to ESPN.

Tomlin said Brown “looked really good” during the week. He missed Friday’s practice, however, due to an illness. Brown participated fully in practice Wednesday, a good sign for Sunday’s game, Steelers Wire reported.

“It’s was a great week for Antonio,” Tomlin told reporters this week. “We practiced yesterday. He was a full participant in practice, we’re excited about where he is. Obviously we’ll continue to monitor his participation throughout the week and really gauge his availability based on that.”

Brown reportedly underwent continuous rehabilitation in an effort to make it back to the field as soon as possible. Ben Roethlisberger previously told radio station 93.7 Brown was working as hard as possible to return.

“We know no one works as hard as AB,” Roethlisberger said.

Brown completed this season with the most receiving yards in the NFL and was named the Steelers’ MVP. The receiver had 101 catches, 1,533 yards and nine touchdowns with more than 100 receptions.

While Brown’s return was good news for the Steelers, Ryan Shazier’s future with the team still remained uncertain. After suffering a serious spinal injury during a tackle gone wrong in a December game against the Bengals, Shazier remained in a wheelchair. The 25-year-old required spinal stabilization surgery and it was unclear whether he would walk again.

Shazier posted an update regarding his condition on Instagram Wednesday, telling his fans he was “making strides.”

“I’m working harder than I ever have to get back,” he wrote. “I’ve been making strides over the past month and continue to make progress. Taking it day-by-day, but I’m far from done. The Lord has not finished his work yet.”