Steelers backup QB Landry Jones tells teammates, ‘Don’t panic’

The Pittsburgh Steelers are faced with, once again, the reality of not having quarterback Ben Roethlisberger due to injury.

Roethlisberger has shown remarkable resilience for a quarterback that has taken as much punishment as he has, but he recently had to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. That means backup Landry Jones will be active against the New England Patriots in Week 7.

Jones has just one thing to say to his teammates:

“Don’t panic.”

Jones doesn’t want the players around him to worry about the loss of Roethlisberger. He’s a confident player himself and he wants that confidence to rub off  on his teammates. The Steelers face a tough test in the Patriots, the top team in the AFC with a 5-1 record. Jones wants to be fearless.

“I think if you’re a backup in these types of situations you can almost try to be too perfect and too careful,” Jones said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “One time, coach Tomlin said something along the lines of ‘Gunfighters are going to get shot.’ For me, I’d rather go out there and cut it loose rather than be too careful and take every check-down. You have to take what the defense gives you and be cautiously aggressive.”

For what it’s worth, Jones’ “Don’t panic” speech seemed to go over well. Linebacker Arthur Moats said the Steelers are “extremely confident,” and they are “not worried about who’s out there.”