The Pittsburgh Steelers were dealt a very serious blow on Sunday, and by proxy Monday, when the team found out the injury to Ben Roethlisberger’s throwing elbow was not just serious, but season-ending.
Speculation ran rampant afterwards regarding the severity of the injury. Would it require surgery? Was it the dreaded UCL tear in the elbow? If it was the worst-case scenario, would Ben Roethlisberger just hang up the cleats?
The franchise quarterback released a statement to the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he made it very clear it isn’t about to call it career.
Check out his statement below:
Statement from Ben Roethlisberger: I’ve been informed that I need season ending surgery on my elbow to continue playing football at the level I expect. This is shocking and heartbreaking for me, to miss this much of a season and feel like I am letting down so many people. I can only trust God’s plan, but I am completely determined to battle through this challenge and come back stronger than ever next season. The Steelers committed three years to me this offseason and I fully intend to honor my contract and reward them with championship level play. I will do all I can to support Mason and the team this season to help win games. I love this game, my teammates, the Steelers organization and fans, and I feel in my heart I have a lot left to give.
This is far from comforting when it pertains to the 2019 season, but it brings a hope for the future if Roethlisberger can return in 2020 and play at a high level. In the meantime, the Steelers will get the opportunity to see what they have in 2018 NFL Draft third round draft pick Mason Rudolph.
What would the team do if Rudolph performs well during his time as the starter, and possibly leads the team to the postseason? Would there be a quarterback controversy in 2020? Steelers fans would love more than anything for this to be a problem they face next season.
Feel free to leave your comments in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news on this story as the Mason Rudolph era begins, at least for the remainder of 2019.