Dec 8, 2015 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – Just when Antonio Brown thought he was out of the job of returning punts for the Steelers, they pulled him back in.

With a game looming Sunday against Cincinnati, it only seems right that the Steelers have Brown returning punts against the Bengals. He’s been a longtime Bengals killer.

Though Brown’s 71-yard touchdown Sunday night in a 45-10 win over Indianapolis was the fourth score on a punt return in his career, it was a first, of sorts, for Brown. His previous three returns for scores had all come against Cincinnati and punter Kevin Huber.

Brown will get the opportunity to return punts against the Bengals (10-2) in a critical meeting with the Steelers (7-5). Head coach Mike Tomlin’s experiment with Jacoby Jones as the Steelers’ returner came to an end with a pair of fumbles by Jones against Indianapolis.

“I’m always willing and capable of doing what the team wants me to do,” said Brown. “Whether that’s being the punt returner or not, that’s what I’ll do. … Punt return is a special phase of the game.”

Jones, signed Nov. 5 to replace Dri Archer as a return specialist, was pulled from the game Sunday. Tomlin said Tuesday that Brown will resume returning punts, and Markus Wheaton, who averaged 24.7 yards per kickoff return last season, will handle those duties.

“We’ll see where that takes us,” said Tomlin.

With four games remaining and the Steelers currently on the outside looking in at the AFC playoffs, each game left on the schedule is important. Pittsburgh can’t afford any special-teams gaffes such as the ones Jones had against the Colts. He fumbled the game’s opening kickoff, with Indianapolis recovering the ball at the Pittsburgh 11-yard line. He also muffed his first punt return opportunity, which caused Tomlin to take him out of the game.

The Steelers saved Jones on both occasions, with linebacker Jarvis Jones intercepting a pass at the 1-yard-line to thwart the Colts on their opening possession and Darrius Heyward-Bey somehow coming out of a pile with the football following Jones’ muffed punt. The damage, however, had been done.

“The ball security, or lack thereof, being the significant reason,” said Tomlin of the benching.

That’s fine with Brown. He didn’t want to give up the punt-return duties anyway, despite being the AFC’s leader in both pass receptions (93) and yards (1,310) last season. His touchdown against the Colts raised his return average to 12.1 yards, third-best in the AFC.

He also ignited another firestorm with his feet-first leap onto the goal post at the conclusion of his run, drawing a 15-yard penalty.

“It tried to stick the landing on the goal post but it didn’t work out so well,” said Brown.

The odds would show that Brown has a good chance to get one against the Bengals. In 10 career games against Cincinnati, Brown has averaged 11.5 yards per punt return with scores of 71, 67 and 60 yards. And thescores have come in the second meeting with the Bengals in three of the past four seasons. This will be the second game this year between the teams. Cincinnati won, 16-10, at Heinz Field last month with Brown failing to get an opportunity to return a punt.

The Steelers could use another punt return touchdown this week if they hope to keep the Bengals from clinching the AFC North title – which they would do with a win over Pittsburgh.

“We recognize what’s at stake,” said Tomlin. “But what other position would you rather be in this time of year, in games of significance with things on the line. All of our hopes and dreams are out in front of us.”

Tomlin said tight end Heath Miller, who sat out against the Colts with a rib injury, has a chance to play Sunday. Cornerback William Gay is in the NFL concussion protocol program after leaving in the fourth quarter against the Colts. Tight end Matt Spaeth (knee) and linebacker Ryan Shazier (hamstring) are questionable to play. … Tomlin said he would continue to rotate cornerbacks Antwon Blake, Ross Cockrell and Antwon Blake opposite Gay, against the Bengals.