‘No hesitation’ in planning on Ben Roethlisberger’s return, Steelers’ Mike Tomlin says
It was Christmas Day when Ben Roethlisberger made his first public statements regarding his return to the playing field in 2020.
It was earlier this month when Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II said that his franchise quarterback’s rehab has been “positive,” and it was last week when general manager Kevin Colbert said Roethlisberger is “on schedule” for a hopeful “complete recovery.”
Monday, coach Mike Tomlin continued the good news about Roethlisberger’s comeback from elbow surgery that ended his 2019 season after just six quarters.
Speaking on ESPN’s “First Take” Monday morning, Tomlin said he didn’t have any doubt Roethlisberger will be ready for the coming season as a 38-year-old quarterback.
“I have no hesitation,” Tomlin said, “and I base that opinion on my experience and relationship with him and being around him for the number of years that I have. This guy is the ultimate competitor. He’s dropped the gauntlet down, he’s made a statement that he’s coming back – and I look forward to watching him answer that challenge.”
. @MarkMaddenX writes if Ben Roethlisberger returns at 100 percent next season and the #Steelers’ defense maintains its current elite level, 2020 could be a special year https://t.co/oPi0RjFlvo
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) November 11, 2019
Tomlin was on ESPN to discuss what he felt was unfair coverage by the network in regards to Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph, but Tomlin briefly addressed other topics.
Two months before the start of organized team activities and five-plus months before training camp, Tomlin indicated that Roethlisberger hasn’t progressed to the throwing stage of his rehab. But Tomlin did not at all sound alarmed.
“He looks awesome, man,” Tomlin said of Roethlisberger, “but he hasn’t been asked to do anything as it pertains to his rehabilitation. The process, day-to-day, is going great – but we’re not at a significant crossroad and it’s going to be a number of days before we are.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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