Just when things seemed to be quieting down regarding the assault that allegedly took place involving the Pouncey brothers last month in a Miami nightclub, the Miami Herald is reporting that misdemeanor battery charges could be pending for Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, and they could come as early as Friday.

Very early on, after the alleged July 12 incident was first reported, it appeared that no charges would be filed against either NFL lineman (Pouncey’s brother, Mike, is a guard for the Dolphons). But now, according to Marwan Porter,  the attorney representing the three accusers, charges may be imminent for Pittsburgh’s center.

• It is unclear where Porter is getting his information. While he is quoted in the Herald story, he offers no concrete source for his claims.

However, the article does state that “multiple people apprised of the situation believe it will happen, and it could come as early as Friday.” Where there is smoke, there is usually fire, so it looks like the Steelers will have yet another legal fiasco on their hands as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Just days before their first exhibition game, and with so much excitement surrounding their cast of rookies and younger players looking to make a mark in the NFL, the last thing the Steelers probably wanted to have surface was a story like this involving their Pro Bowl center who they just signed to a contract extension in June.

Pouncey missed all but one series of the 2013 season with a significant knee injury. And now, even if no charges are filed in the alleged nightclub assault,  the Steelers may have to deal with a suspension of Pouncey similar to what Ben Roethlisberger served to start the 2010 season stemming from accusations of sexual assault in a Georgia nightclub.

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