Can Ben Roethlisberger Remain Healthy?
The Steelers may have finished just a game out of a Wild Card spot in 2019, but any hope they had to contend for a Super Bowl title evaporated in Week 2.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined for the year after tearing three tendons in his right elbow while attempting a pass against the Seattle Seahawks. It was the kind of injury that put the career of the 38-year-old in his 16th NFL season in jeopardy.
His absence was sorely felt. The Steelers had to turn to backup quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges for the final 14 games. An offense that ranked in the top-10 in both yards and points scored each of the previous five seasons plummeted to 30th and 27th, respectively. The Steelers were sixth in Football Outsiders’ DVOA rating in 2018; the offense fell to last in the league in 2019.
Of the 38 quarterbacks who attempted at least 150 passes last season, Hodges was 36th in yards and Rudolph was 31st. Even if their passing numbers are combined, they still would’ve been 28th. Hodges and Rudolph were 38th and 33rd, respectively, out of 39 quarterbacks in passer rating. The Steelers had the fewest 20-plus-yard passing plays last season (37) after having the fourth-most (62) in 2018.
Hodges and Rudolph remain with the team, but so does Roethlisberger, who admits he never seriously considered retirement after the injury. “I knew it hurt and I knew I had some options. But I just didn’t feel like I was done playing football,” he said during training camp. “I really felt that I wanted to come back. I was excited about this team. I don’t feel like I’m done playing football yet.”
The Steelers need Roethlisberger to remain healthy if they want to contend in 2020. That hasn’t always been easy: he’s played all 16 games just once over the last five seasons. But he showed up to camp in great shape and with plenty of power still left in his throwing arm. A healthy Roethlisberger puts them among the favorites in the AFC. If he goes down again, however, they’ll struggle to repeat last year’s 8-8 record.
