The End of Ben?

Ben Rothelisberger on the sideline following his elbow injury he suffered against the Seattle Seahawks.

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Ben Roethlisberger, Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, left Sunday’s game versus the Seattle Seahawks with an apparent elbow injury. Reports Monday stated the 16 year starter would be out for the remainder of the 2019-2020 National Football League (NFL) Season. Many feared Roethlisberger would need Tommy John surgery; however, Ian Rapport of the NFL Network confirmed this is not the case. Several analysts, including Head Coach Mike Tomlin believe Roethlisberger will be in the black and gold when the 2020 season comes along next year. 

“Big Ben” has taken the Pittsburgh Steelers to three Super Bowls in his tenured career, winning two of them. The Miami University of Ohio graduate was drafted in 2004 in the first round, along with two other current NFL quarterbacks: Eli Manning and Phillip Rivers. Roethlisberger has been to six Pro Bowls and has never been an All Pro. The veteran QB has been the figurehead of the Steelers organization with all the drama surrounding Antonio Brown and Le’veon Bell over the last two seasons. 

Although “Big Ben” is loved among Steelers fans, the organization might have found the captains successor. Mason Rudolph was drafted by the Steelers in the 2018 draft. He was taken in the third round after a very successful college career. The young Quarterback holds the record for career passing yards with 13,618, as well as the single season passing record 4,904 yards in 2017. 

Rudolph had a promising showing after taking over for Roethlisberger on Sunday. He completed 12 of his 19 passes, throwing for 112 yards and 1 interception. He finished with a passer rating of 92.5, a very good number considering he only had 19 attempts. 

Is this the end of the Ben Roethlisberger era in Pittsburgh? Can Rudolph handle the pressure and keep the Steelers 2019 season alive? Is Rudolph the next Ben Rothelisberger? The 2019 Season will tell.