Ryan Clark has been one of the most durable players in the Pittsburgh Steelers' secondary the past three years, but there's a decent chance he won't be allowed to suit up for Sunday's wild-card showdown against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos despite his clean bill of health.
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Clark has sickle cell trait, and the high altitude at Sports Authority Field at Mile High is problematic for his condition. Clark played a game at Denver during the 2007 season and became violently ill after the high altitude caused his blood to sickle. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported a deprivation of oxygen to Clark's major organs eventually cost him his spleen and gall bladder.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin didn't let Clark play in a 2009 regular-season game at Denver nor in an exhibition game there last year, and Tomlin said Sunday the team plans to discuss Clark's situation with doctors this week before making a decision on his status.
"We're going to meet with the doctors at some point (today) or Tuesday," Tomlin said following the Steelers' 13-9 win over the Browns. "Last time we went (to Denver), we worked him out extensively to see how he responded, and they gathered the data in that regard. So we'll put some heads together, and when I'm talking about heads I'm talking about medical experts, not myself."
Clark told the Tribune-Review that he expects the decision to be Tomlin's and not his.
"It's easier on me that way anyway," Clark said. "No decision has been made, so we've got things to talk about."
