LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — There was a time in Byron Leftwich’s career where being a backup quarterback — even on a Super Bowl contender — would not be enough.
Those days are long gone. The 32-year-old Leftwich missed all of last season with a broken left arm suffered in a preseason game against Atlanta. It came on the heels of a knee injury in 2010 that limited him to one game.
Leftwich threw for a touchdown in last week’s preseason opener against Philadelphia and also took a hit from Eagles defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie while scrambling out of trouble. The quarterback called it “no big deal.”
Leftwich says adjusting to new offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s system is like learning a new language. He’s likely to get extended playing time on Sunday against Indianapolis.