Can Sean Spence make it back from the catastrophic knee injury he suffered last preseason?
Opinions vary, even in his own building. Spence's position coach, Keith Butler, has said it would be "miraculous" if the linebacker played a down in 2013. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin didn't agree with that assessment, and neither does Spence.
Kinkhabwala: Pairing up in Pittsburgh
After a rocky first season together, Ben Roethlisberger and Todd Haley are starting to gel, Aditi Kinkhabwala reports. **More ...**
"I know a lot of people have not been able to come back after damage like that, but I'm going to see if I can be one of the only ones," Spence said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Actually, I know that I'm going to beat the odds. I'm not really worried about that."
Spence is in attendance at Steelers organized team activities, but only as a spectator. He's doing his best to soak in the defensive schemes of coordinator Dick LeBeau, even if he's forced to do it from a distance. Spence said the nerve damage in his knee is healing slowly.
"I'm going to continue to attack this like I'm going to play this year," Spence said. "I'm in meetings and preparing as if I'm practicing. I'm just going to continue to get better and I'm looking forward to the season."
Spence once was viewed as the Steelers' successor to James Farrior at inside linebacker. Now Spence is one of the biggest underdogs in the game. Things can change in an instant in the NFL.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
