While steadfastly maintaining that the regular-season finale would be approached as “business as usual,” coach Mike Tomlin strongly indicated that several of the Steelers' star players will not be in uniform for Sunday's meaningless game against the Cleveland Browns.
Tomlin said that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le'Veon Bell, receiver Antonio Brown and center Maurkice Pouncey “will get that consideration” as players who will be “preserved as we look into the playoff round.”
At 10-5, the Steelers clinched the AFC North title with their win against Baltimore on Sunday and are locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs that begin Jan. 7-8. The Steelers will host either Kansas City or Miami one of those days in the wild-card round.