Ben Roethlisberger is still making a big impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers despite being out for the entire 2019 season due to an elbow injury. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger gave a pep talk before their win against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. Because it was the Steelers’ first win of the year, the speech by their starting quarterback worked.
“He just talked about the opportunity and not taking for granted being able to play,” cornerback Joe Haden said. “Coming from Ben, knowing he played such a long time and see how much he misses it, how much he wants to be out there, it puts it in perspective for a lot of guys.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
“For a player like Ben Roethlisberger, who was born to play football, it says something about the man,” said offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva. “It opens the eyes and hearts of those players who, maybe in the back of their minds, take it for granted.”
Right now, the Steelers are 1-3 and they are only one game out first place in the AFC North. They still have some issues to get through, but having Roethlisberger on the sidelines gave them so added juice to get things going on Monday, and it could help them make a run at the division title.
“That’s our leader, so his presence was definitely felt,” said running back James Conner. “Just having our leader there was huge for us and having him on the sideline, communicating, relaying messages to Mason (Rudolph), him telling us what he sees. He did everything he could except play.”
Roethlisberger injured his elbow in the team’s second game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks. He had surgery on the elbow in Los Angeles last week and was back on the practice field a few days later.
“Ben Roethlisberger had successful surgery on his right elbow on Monday in Los Angeles at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the procedure in consultation with Steelers Team Physician Jim Bradley, who began his career at the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic,” team spokesperson Burt Lauten said in a statement.
“Once Ben returns to Pittsburgh, he immediately will begin working with the Steelers’ medical staff on his rehabilitation, and he is expected to make a full recovery and return to the field for the 2020 NFL season.”
Roethlisberger has been the Steelers QB since 2004 and he has led them to three Super Bowl appearances with two Super Bowl wins.
