By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer

dlolley@observer-reporter.com

LATROBE - Byron Leftwich's first pass in red-zone practice Monday morning zipped through rookie Limas Sweed's hands in the corner of the end zone, falling to the ground.

Sweed could only look on in disbelief, perhaps realizing the reason why Leftwich was the seventh-overall pick in the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2003 NFL draft.

Leftwich showed off his impressive arm strength for his new teammates, practicing with the Steelers at St. Vincent College one day after signing a one-year contract with the team.

As impressed as the Steelers were with Leftwich, who was signed after Charlie Batch suffered a broken right collarbone in Friday night's preseason win over Philadelphia, he was more so with them.

"This is such a good football team," said the 28-year-old Leftwich, who started three games for Jacksonville against the Steelers, winning two of them.

"I know because I played against them. When we played against them, it was such a physical football game. You want to be part of a football team that has a chance every Sunday to win the football game. The older you get in this league, the more you realize that's all that really matters."

It wasn't always that way for Leftwich.

He clashed with head coach Jack Del Rio in 2006 when Del Rio proclaimed Leftwich wasn't healthy enough to play because of a chronic left ankle injury and replaced him with David Garrard.

Leftwich eventually had surgery on the ankle, which he initially injured at Marshall University, and said it's no longer a problem. He did, however, suffer a high ankle sprain on his right leg last season with Atlanta that put him out of action again.

"It's no secret that injuries have kind of been his bugaboo," said Steelers quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson, who held the same position in Jacksonville during Leftwich's rookie season.

The history of injuries is likely the reason why Leftwich only worked out for one team - Tennessee - before receiving the call from the Steelers.

"There were some times when I didn't understand it, but at the same time, I understood that I put myself in this position with the injuries," Leftwich said. "It's something I had to deal with and move on. I just want to play football and help the team as much as I can."

The Steelers brought both Leftwich and Daunte Culpepper, a three-time Pro Bowl player, in for tryouts Sunday morning, having both quarterbacks throw. It's not something that happens often in the NFL, let alone to two quarterbacks who were both first-round draft picks.

But Leftwich knew he had to prove he could still play.

"I just said I'm going to go out there and throw the hell out of the football and see what happens," he said.

The tryout landed him a one-year contract worth the veteran minimum of $605,000. He will count $445,000 against the Steelers salary cap this season if he's on the roster after the first game of the regular season.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that Batch would not be placed on the disabled list, a move that would end his season. But he did say that Leftwich would have the opportunity to beat Batch out for the No. 2 job behind Pro Bowl starter Ben Roethlisberger.

Leftwich is comfortable with that.

"You have no choice when you have (Roethlisberger) here," Leftwich said. "Only a fool would come here believing you have a chance to start when you have him here. They've got Ben here and Ben's a hell of a quarterback."

Odds and end zones

Cornerback Deshea Townsend (groin), linebacker James Harrison (shin), linebacker Mike Humpal (stinger), safety Ryan Mundy (shin) and defensive end Kyle Clement (knee) sat out practice Monday. ... Batch was scheduled for surgery Monday to repair his injured shoulder. ... The Steelers will practice twice today. The second practice, scheduled for 3 p.m., is open to the public.

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