TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown said Thursday that it isn't likely he'll need surgery on his injured right thumb.

There had been speculation that surgery might be necessary and that McCown could miss an extended period of time. He said that probably is not the case.

Josh McCown (12) wouldn't say whether he's out for the game at Pittsburgh, but on Thursday he sounded like a quarterback who'll be on the outside looking in. Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Images

"We take this thing day by day and, obviously, if it was that pressing of a need, I would have probably already had that done,'' McCown said. "We're very optimistic with being able to get healthy and move forward.''

McCown said the injury is being dealt with through therapy, and he's focused on regaining strength in the thumb.

He would not definitively say he's out for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the Bucs have sent out plenty of indications McCown will miss at least one start and that Mike Glennon will get the nod in his place.

McCown talked at length about helping Glennon prepare for the start.

"For me, it's always about the team first and foremost,'' McCown said. "When you experience an injury or something like that, what's the next thing you can do to help the team? (A) is to get healthy and get yourself back on the field, and (B) is to be an extra set of eyes and a voice in your room to help that position.

"With me and Mike, it's no different. We'll work that way, and for me it's to help Mike be as prepared as he can be. We want that room to be great. We want that room to function at a high level.''

McCown sounded like he's resigned to being almost like a coach to Glennon in the short term.

"I just believe that every person in the organization has to bring value to your job,'' McCown said. "You have to try and find a way that you can help us every week win football games. It's been as tough a three weeks for me as I've had in my career just from a disappointment standpoint. But it's not my makeup to sit and sulk. We have 13 games left. There's a lot of football left to play.''