On Monday the Pittsburgh Steelers reinstated rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta\’amu from the reserve suspended list following his two week suspension and have been granted a short roster exemption before needing to make a corresponding move on the roster.
Ta\’amu was suspended for two weeks without pay by the team back on Oct. 16th after leading Pittsburgh police on an early morning alcohol-fueled chase back on Oct. 14th. During the suspension Ta\’amu was not permitted to be around the team facility.
“Due to his actions this past weekend we are going to be suspending him for two weeks,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said almost two weeks ago. “This suspension is without pay. He will not participate in any organized team activities, he won\’t be in meetings, he won\’t be on the practice field and obviously he won\’t be at our facility.”
The Steelers will not have to make a corresponding roster move until Wednesday as they have been granted a short roster exemption for Ta\’amu. Depending on the health of safety Ryan Clark, who suffered a concussion in the win Sunday over the Washington Redskins, safety Damon Cromartie-Smith could be the player that is waived to get the roster back down to 53. Cromartie-Smith had been promoted from the practice squad on Saturday to play special teams because cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke was benched by Tomlin for the game.
The Steelers are expected to sign offensive lineman John Malecki back to the practice squad on Tuesday. Malecki was the player waived to make room for Cromartie-Smith on Saturday and has since cleared waivers.
