Steelers' Aaron Smith Remains Sidelined

The Steelers have kept Aaron Smith on the active roster ever since he tore a triceps muscle in Week 6 in hopes that he could help them in the playoffs.

Apparently the playoffs will only be the Super Bowl (and only if the Steelers win this weekend). The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that Smith will miss his 12th straight game this weekend as his recovery is still not to the point where he can get back on the field.

If the Steelers did make it to the Super Bowl, Smith would have two more weeks to recover. But at this point it appears his return would be more of an emotional boost than a significant impact on the field. Smith would play only limited snaps if he can get back on the field, and Pittsburgh has survived his absence with few problems thanks to the emergence of 2009 first-round pick Ziggy Hood.

This isn't the first time the Steelers have held out hope that a star could hurry his recovery to play in the playoffs. In 1995, Rod Woodson was kept on the active roster all season as he recovered from a torn ACL. He made it back to serve as a nickel back during the Steelers' Super Bowl loss to the Cowboys.

If the Steelers don't make it to the Super Bowl, their gamble of keeping Smith on the active roster will have a cost. Pittsburgh cut rookie linebacker Thaddeus Gibson in November to add a defensive lineman to the active roster. Gibson, who had shown some promise, was quickly picked up by the 49ers.