Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich Byron Leftwich has taken a nine month hiatus from the practice field but should see some playing time in this Thursday night's exhibition game. After being signed on Sunday by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Leftwich practiced Monday with his new team and impressed coach Mike Tomlin enough to possibly get some reps in there upcoming game against Buffalo.

"I was impressed simpy by the fact he was a quick study," Tomlin said to reporters after Monday afternoon's practice at Saint Vincent College. "He was able to step out there and step into the huddle, spew out the verbiage, get people lined up and actually get the ball around."

Leftwich was signed to fill in for injured back-up Quarterback Charlie Batch. Batch suffered
a broken right collarbone against the Eagles on Friday night. Batch underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. In his stead the Steelers were looking for a veteran back-up as insurance for starting pro bowl QB Ben Roethlisberger.

In Pittsburgh, Leftwich will be reunited with former Jaguars and now Steelers quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson. "He is a smart quarterback," Anderson said. Leftwich also understands that the Steelers have an established QB and he is just happy to be in camp playing football.

A serious ankle injury limited Leftwich to just 6 games in 2006, he lost his starting job to David Garrard in camp last year and was released by the Jaguars and signed with Atlanta. 

Leftwich signed a one year, $605,000 deal with the Steelers.