SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- When Ben Roethlisberger began clutching his elbow after each throw in the first half of the Steelers' 28-26 loss last Sunday to the Seahawks, the fear was that the quarterback would need surgery to repair his UCL, otherwise known as Tommy John surgery.
But that apparently is not the case. Per a report by Adam Schefter, Roethlisberger's elbow surgery does not involve the repair of his ulnar collateral ligament. That's one reason why the quarterback and the Steelers have expressed so much optimism about Roethlisberger, 37, playing in 2020.
"He fully intends to come back from his injury, and everything we've heard, we're comfortable that's a strong possibility," Mike Tomlin said earlier this week.
Roethlisberger's surgery, which will take place this week as doctors waited for swelling in the elbow to subside, will determine the true extent of the injury.
In the meantime, the Steelers face the 49ers Sunday in their first game without Roethlisberger, who will be out for the remainder of the 2019 season. Second-year pro Mason Rudolph will make his first career start in the game.
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