Maddox proves toughness by returning after injury
BALTIMORE — Add the following to the ever growing list of accolades earned by Tommy Maddox since taking over as quarterback for the Steelers:
He's a fast healer.
Maddox was knocked out of Sunday's 31-18 victory over the Baltimore Ravens midway through the third quarter when his left ankle was stepped on following a completion, but he managed to bounce back and get the last laugh. Despite being carted from the sidelines to the locker room and undergoing X-rays, Maddox missed just five offensive snaps. He re-entered the game on the Steelers' first possession of the fourth quarter and had the honor of taking a knee three times from "Victory Formation" as the final seconds ticked away at Baltimore Ravens Stadium.
"I feel fine," Maddox said. "I don't know what happened. It was pretty late after I threw it. I guess now they're saying it was one of their guys that planted to go back up field and stepped on my ankle. It twisted and I couldn't feel it for a while.
"I was trying to walk it off and I couldn't walk on it. It was frustrating. I was pretty upset about it. They came in and X-rayed it and it started feeling better, (they) taped it up. It was good to get back out there and play a little bit on it and get back out there with the guys."
Maddox was injured after completing a short pass to wide receiver Terance Mathis on first-and-10 from the Steelers 26-yard line. The Steelers led 28-11 at the time.
Ravens defensive tackle Kelly Gregg stomped down on Maddox before turning up the field to pursue Mathis on the play.
If his actions looked suspicious, it was only a coincidence, Gregg said.
"I didn't even know it was me," Gregg said. "I thought I stepped on somebody's foot, I thought it was the center's."
The completion to Mathis was Maddox' s15th in 20 attempts passing, and followed up a first half in which Maddox completed his first 11 throws while connecting on 14 of 19 balls overall, for 154 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.
"I haven't seen it," Maddox said. "I was watching the ball go out to Terance. I thought the play was over on my end by a long shot.
"That's part of the game. I knew coming in, and a couple of their players made sure they told me, that they were going to hit me every chance they could get. I like when they're thinking like that because they're probably not thinking about the things they need to do.
"That's the way the game goes. They're always trying to hit the quarterback. I don't worry about that too much."
Maddox was much less spectacular upon his return, but with the Steelers nursing a 31-18 advantage at that point, they needed him to hand off much more than they needed him to be Johnny Unitas.
To Maddox' teammates, his getting back into the game was what mattered most at that juncture.
"It was important," wide receiver Antwaan Randle El said. "Not because (backup) Kordell (Stewart) wouldn't have got it done, but from the standpoint that (Maddox) started the game and we've been going with him. If he's able to go, then come out and go."
"That's huge," guard Alan Faneca said. "It's great enough to find out that he's OK. But when he's OK and he's good enough to come back in there and he goes out there, and you know he's hurtin' a little bit but he goes out there and takes command of the ship again, it's a little morale boost."
Maddox's return made an impression on Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, as well.
"Certainly, there would be some wonderment," about Maddox's status had he not returned, Cowher said. "He's under a lot of scrutiny. People are looking for the holes, can he do this or can he do that⢠But the only person that doesn't feel it is him. He's been very calm, cool, collected. His teammates have a lot of belief in him. He believes in his teammates. He's the consummate team guy.
"You gotta respect and like a guy like that."
Maddox predicted he'd be back under center this Sunday when the Steelers visit Cleveland.
"Oh yeah," he said. "I feel like (today) it'll probably be sore, but it felt like it was going to be all right."
