Ben Roethlisberger will not play again in 2019 — but he's not calling it a career just yet.
Roethlisberger, 37, suffered an elbow injury that required season-ending surgery following the team's Week 2 loss to the Seahawks, causing many to wonder just how much Roethlisberger had left to give the game of football.
To hear Roethlisberger tell it, this is just a speed bump. The final destination remains the same.
"I’ve been informed that I need season-ending surgery on my elbow to continue playing football at the level I expect," Roethlisberger said in a statement. "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."
Roethlisberger received a three-year contract extension in April, a vote of confidence from the organization that is not lost on him in the wake of this injury.
"The Steelers committed three years to me this offseason and I fully intend to honor my contract and reward them with championship-level play," Roethlisberger said. "I will do all I can to support [Mason Rudolph] 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.
In the meantime, as Roethlisberger notes, it's Rudolph's team. Rudolph, in his second season as a pro, got his first taste of regular-season NFL action after Roethlisberger exited the game against the Seahawks at halftime. In relief, Rudolph went 12 of 19 for 112 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Monday, Rudolph met with media members at the Rooney Complex, saying the situation is unfortunate but that he's still eager to "fulfill a dream" and become a starting quarterback in the NFL.
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