Former Auburn WR Sammie Coates has been playing through injury
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Sammie Coates looked like he could be the team’s No. 2 receiver early this season, catching 19 passes for 421 yards and two scores through the first five games.
However, he’s only caught one pass for four yards in the last five games, prompting many to question what’s happening with the former Auburn star.
According to AL.com, Coates has been playing with two broken fingers, which has affected his ability to play receiver effectively:
“It’s the fact he’s got two broken fingers on one hand,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. “It doesn’t limit him from a special-teams standpoint, as you can reference his three special-teams tackles, but it does make it increasingly difficult to catch the football. He’s healthy enough to play; he just can’t catch the ball as cleanly with two broken fingers.”
Though he’s frustrated with his lack of production, Coates said there’s nothing he can do but wait for his hand to fully heal:
“I play wide receiver; catching the ball with your hand is part of the game,”‘ Coates told Chris Bradford of the Beaver County Times. “It’s like if you’re a reporter and can’t talk. How can you ask questions? You need what you need when you play the sport we play. That’s why I’m frustrated until I get my confidence back up and try and get my hand healed a little more. I’m just fighting and being mentally tough.”
Coates and the Steelers take on the Colts in Indianapolis on Thursday night. The game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time and can be seen on NBC.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
