My prior post about Jesse James deserves a somewhat mitigating postscript because of an issue of which I was unaware after his horrendous performance in the Hall of Fame game (two crucial pass drops).

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that Jesse was mourning the loss of a high school friend who had died unexpectedly two days before the game. James did not use it as an excuse, though, and the Steelers are still putting lots of faith in his future.

Young guys freeze up sometimes,” Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said. “I mentioned to some of them, I would’ve liked to have shown them cutups of Lawrence Timmons from the Hall of Fame Game in 2007. It was pretty ugly. It provides a little window, a ray of light if you will, for those who are mentally weak enough to need it. You’ve got to start somewhere. Some starts are better than others. Regardless of how you start, it isn’t going to define you.”

Read the entire Post-Gazette article.