07-31-2007, 05:16 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Both of them
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,225
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Steelers Notebook: Reid, Holmes back on returns
Steelers Notebook: Reid, Holmes back on returns
Quote:
Willie Reid is back where he should have been last season, returning punts for the Steelers.
So, too, is Santonio Holmes, who did return punts last season.
One player who had trouble returning punts has been booted. Ricardo Colclough, whose dropped punt against the Cincinnati Bengals in the third game of the season led to the Steelers' downfall in that game and perhaps to their season, is no longer a candidate.
Colclough had been part of the handful of players returning punts during the incessant special teams practices through the first week of training camp. Once Holmes became healthy enough to practice, he bumped Colclough from the rotation.
But first up yesterday was Reid, whom the Steelers drafted in the third round last season in part because he was such a good return man at Florida State. His 15.4-yard punt return average set a school record, and he scored three times on punt returns in 2005.
Yet, he did not dress for the first three games of the season. It wasn't until after Colclough's costly fumble that Reid dressed for the fourth game to return punts. A foot injury in that game cost him the rest of the season.
He, too, thought he would return punts and kickoffs as a rookie from the start.
"Yeah, honestly I did. It wasn't my decision, it was the coaches' decision. They went with the best decision they thought was right at the time. So I have no hard feelings about it."
Reid's just happy to be doing it now.
"It feels real good to get my feet wet and do some nice things out there."
Holmes became the full-time punt returner after Reid's injury and averaged a healthy 10.2 yards on 26 returns and one touchdown.
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Steelers Notebook: Reid, Holmes back on returns
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