Gov. Wolf voices 'general concern' over Ben Roethlisberger's trip to barbershop

Ben Roethlisberger’s visit to a barbershop wasn’t enough to make Tom Wolf pull his hair out, but Pennsylvania’s governor wasn’t pleased the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback violated the state’s yellow phase reopening after the coronavirus shutdown.

During his daily press briefing Tuesday, Gov. Wolf criticized Roethlisberger’s decision to get a haircut and beard trim at a Sewickley barbershop.

Wolf was asked whether the salon would receive disciplinary action and whether the state would investigate the matter.

“My concern is just a general concern,” Wolf said. “Anybody who puts himself or herself into harm’s way is something that I think we have to try to avoid. When you go to something like a barbershop, and you’re not protected, I don’t care who you are, the chances of that virus actually wreaking havoc on your life increases.

“I don’t personally think any Pennsylvanian ought to take that chance. I certainly don’t want to take that chance myself.”

Roethlisberger posted a 38-second video Monday documenting his recovery from right elbow surgery. The video included brief footage of the quarterback sitting in a chair and getting his beard trimmed. It occurred during a weekend visit to Norman’s Cut N Edge Barbershop in Sewickley.

Hair salons and barbershops are not supposed to be open until Allegheny County receives the order to move to the “green phase” of the state’s tiered reopening system. The county was given “yellow phase” status on Friday.

Attorney Marc Kohnen, who represents owner Carlos Norman, released a statement Tuesday night in which he maintained that Norman and Roethlisberger are “close personal friends.” Kohnen said Roethlisberger received the hair cut on Norman’s “free time” and that it was a “personal favor where no money was received or exchanged.”

Kohnen noted the barbershop has remained closed since Wolf’s shutdown order and is operating “in full compliance with law and state regulation.” That contradicts what was listed on the barber shop’s website Monday, which said it was accepting “online appointments only” during the pandemic.

On Tuesday, the wording on the website was changed to reflect the establishment “would not be accepting online appointments at this time.”

Roethlisberger began letting his hair and beard grow out after his season ended in September when he left the Steelers’ home opener at halftime with a right elbow injury.

Roethlisberger underwent surgery on his elbow and, on the trip to California for surgery, the quarterback said he wouldn’t shave until he was able to throw a “legit NFL pass” to teammates.

As shown in the video, Roethlisberger threw passes to Steelers players JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner and Ryan Switzer during a workout session at Chuck Knox Field at Quaker Valley High School.