Steelers LB Gets Emotional after Making Unlikely Return to Football: ‘I Kinda Regret Retiring’

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers linebacker spot became even more tenuous when the team lost Elandon Roberts to a pec injury during Saturday’s game against the Bengals. Roberts’ injury made everything much harder and forced Myles Jack, who was playing his first NFL game in nearly a year, into a key role. But Jack, who was learning to become a pilot, playing five-on-five basketball, hanging at the bar with his buddies, and doing normal pedestrian work, showed out.

“I am not in midseason form like the rest of these guys,” Jack said. “Broke some good sweats, probably got to my second, third, fourth wind. But I made it through. I’ll get a good nap in tonight.”

Jack seems sore, but he played his first game as a healthy player in a long time. Last year, Jack had a nagging groin injury that kept popping up, sapping him of his explosiveness. And while he was not perfect on Saturday, Jack had that athleticism, allowing him to fly around the field and keep the team afloat.

Jack manned the green dot, and the rest of the linebackers followed the veteran’s lead for the rest of the game.

“We have a great linebacker room,” Jack said. “Everybody gets reps and that communication is great in there. We’re all helping each other. If someone makes a play or misses a play, we’re all talking and giving each other pointers. The cool thing about the room is nobody is about themselves. We all work together. Once I jumped in, everybody gave me the green light and we went out there, had some fun, and I directed them what to do.”

When he came in, Jack had kept in shape but was far from in football shape. But after a month of practice, he feels like he is finally there. It was like learning how to ride a bike after not doing so for years. But once Jack got back into it fully, he felt right at home. In fact, Jack even hinted that he somewhat regretted calling it a career back in the summer.

“It was great just to get back out there and feel the crowd,” Jack said. “I loved it. I kinda regret retiring now.”

It looks like Jack will man that job for the rest of the season. They could look to make some shuffles with Blake Martinez entering the fray, but Jack will be the green dot wearer with the rest of the players filtering around him in a duct tape inside linebacker room.