Max Starks to the Rescue...Again

Max Starks - #78

It seems like since Mike Tomlin was hired as the Head Coach of the Steelers that he hasn't particularly cared for Max Starks.  Maybe he doesn't like people who graduate from the University of Florida?  No...don't think thats it.  Maybe he doesn't like the Campbell's soup commercial he did with his mother?  Doubt it.  Maybe he just doesn't think the guy can play?  Thats a possibility.  There is also a possibility that Tomlin loves Max Starks for what he does for this team. 

What he does is plain and simple...he bails them out.  Look back to last year when there were problems at Left Tackle (the whole OLine had troubles, but I digress) and Max Starks was an unsigned free agent.  The Steelers had QB Ben Roethlisberger wearing #78 jerseys in support of his former teammate.  The Steelers sign Big Max and he comes in and doesn't miss a beat.  Unfortunately, he tears his ACL in the playoff game loss to Denver, and was picked up AGAIN by the Steelers just before training camp.

This move made alot of sense with a potential rookie starting at Left Tackle.  Now that the rookie goes down for 2-4 weeks with a knee injury, who you gonna call?  Ghostbusters?  Not the Steelers, they call on Max Starks.  He has been taken off the PUP list and Coach Tomlin even thinks there is a chance he gets some playing time on Sunday.  I hope they hold him out of Sunday's contest to be sure he can really push that knee, but it will be a welcome site for Steelers fans, and especially Ben Roethlisberger, when Starks reclaims the starting LT position.  Mike Adams is the future, but Max Starks is the proven starter at the position.  I said it before when they signed him...it was a good move.  Now its time for Max Starks to prove that he is going to keep the job the entire season, and not just until Adams becomes available again.