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For fans, there are times when you take a look at an upcoming roster and do what seems like safe bets when showing the lineup. The players you expect will move on to the next stage of their progression. Players who will continue to improve and excel in their profession.
Fans never prepare for the risk of injury or setback.
But that’s exactly what happened with second-year guard Kevin Dotson. Dotson went through an offseason where it was reported that the coaching staff weren’t happy with him, and some even took that to mean he was out of shape.
Showing up to training camp had to be a breath of fresh air, as he would have the opportunity to prove himself to the staff and fans alike. But that’s not what happened. Doston suffered from an ankle injury, which kept him away from the training ground for the first two weeks of camp, including the Hall of Fame game against the Dallas Cowboys.
When Dotson returned to the training ground, he was with the ropes’ second offensive line. It caught the attention of the media, who asked head coach Mike Tomlin about it after training. He wasn’t in the mood to answer.
“He didn’t do anything to gain first-team representatives. What are we talking about? He’s a second year guy who hadn’t worked. said Tomlin.
This singular comment caused a stir on social media, with everyone assuming Dotson was in the proverbial Tomlin niche. Nevertheless, it was Dotson who did not take offense to his coach’s remarks, but took possession of them.
In fact, he spoke to the media on Tuesday and spoke openly about the frustration he has faced since showing up to camp and having to watch, more than play.
“The frustration is that I can’t prove myself.” Dotson told the media. “All the work I did in the offseason, being injured, not being able to show my stuff. Watching my teammates do one-on-one exercises, some of my favorite things.”
In the end, Dotson knew exactly what Tomlin meant when he made the aforementioned comment. He knew it wasn’t a shot of his conditioning, just the fact that he hadn’t practiced yet, and it was basically Day 1 for Dotson.
“I didn’t do anything legitimate,” Dotson said. “There is nothing to watch for my work. I haven’t practiced once. Yesterday was my first half of training. He wasn’t lying.
“I still have to prove myself. I’m not a proven # 1 guy. I still have to prove myself.
This is where these projections, mostly made by fans, can slip in. Dotson has always been projected as the starting left goalie, since the day Matt Feiler signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. Nonetheless, the ankle injury suffered by Dotson forces him to return to the starting lineup, nothing will simply be given to him.
As for the ankle, it was an injury that persisted, but Dotson knows that if he would have tried to “suck” it up and play, nothing good would have come of it.
“It continued to linger,” Dotson said. “It’s one of those things where you don’t want to go out there and hurt him more. If I’m hurt and you put me against Cam (Heyward), it’s gonna make me look worse. I took everything I could to come back, to be well. I feel like I’ll be able to get back to it. I feel 100%, or almost.
The Steelers have relied on Rashaad Coward in Dotson’s absence, and the common thought process is that, unless another injury occurs, Dotson will eventually return to the starting lineup. But, as we’ve seen so far, that’s anything but certain. The first stop for Dotson will be in Philadelphia Thursday night, albeit as a reserve goalie.
Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest black and gold news and notes as they prepare for the upcoming 2021 regular season.
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