Santonio Holmes Sent Home After Drug Citation, Will Miss Giants Game
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes will be sidelined for Sunday's game against the New York Giants after he was cited on suspicion of marijuana possession.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said on Friday that Holmes will be inactive for the Giants game and Nate Washington will start in Holmes' absence.
"As a result, we've decided to name him as inactive for this football game. His situation has created somewhat of a distraction. We want to minimize that as much as we can," said Tomlin.
The Steelers have neither the time nor the patience for this "distraction," said Tomlin, who sent Holmes home and told him to come back Monday.
"This is how I chose to address it and deal with it at this time," said Tomlin. "My approach and mentality regarding the situation may be different next week. Right now, I don't have the time and patience to delve into it."
With running back Willie Parker's status listed as doubtful because of a knee injury, the loss of Holmes is just the latest piece of bad news for Tomlin heading into Sunday's game against the defending Super Bowl champions.
"It's not really a distraction," said wide receiver Hines Ward. "It's a misfortune the situation happened like that, but as a team, you have to move on."
Video: Watch Janelle Hall's Report On Police Sources In Holmes Case
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