On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Byron Leftwich, former starting quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons, as a backup for Ben Roethlisberger, according to the Associated Press. Leftwich beat out three-time Pro Bowl player Daunte Culpepper for the spot.
Veteran Charlie Batch, who was expected to be the backup QB, broke his right collarbone in Friday night’s pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. According to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Leftwich may not be released when Batch returns, indicating that evaluations will be based on performance.
Leftwich has been plagued by ankle injuries, playing in just nine games the past two seasons. He was a first-round pick of Jacksonville in 2003.