Simmons tears ACL; may miss season

Steelers right guard Kendall Simmons has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Misfortune struck the Steelers and Simmons for the second consecutive summer. He played the entire 2003 season with adult onset diabetes after missing the first two weeks of training camp and losing 30 pounds.

Simmons won't go easily, however. He will attempt to coax doctors into letting him return sometime this season, and he will meet with noted orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., next week for a second opinion.

"He is still in shock and hasn't given up hope yet," Simmons' agent, Eric Metz, said. "He is such a tough guy, he wants to find a way to strap this thing up and play. All the medical people know that is virtually impossible."

Simmons will have surgery to repair the joint, but it has not yet been scheduled.

The injury occurred early in practice Wednesday when Simmons fell awkwardly to the ground and pounded the grass in pain. Doctors wrapped up the knee and Simmons stood and watched the remainder of the sessions.

At the time, Steelers coach Bill Cowher said the injury did not appear serious.Meanwhile, backup guard Keydrick Vincent, who started nine games at left guard last season when Alan Faneca moved to left tackle, will start in Simmons' place Saturday in the exhibition game at Heinz Field against the Houston Texans.

Cowher also said it's possible he could move center Jeff Hartings to right guard -- a position he played for the first five seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions -- and insert Chukky Okobi at center.