Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger out vs. Lions, on covid list
Ben Roethlisberger will be placed on the reserve/covid list and will not play Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field.
The Steelers made the announcement Saturday night. Mason Rudolph will make his first start of the season at quarterback in place of Roethlisberger, and Dwayne Haskins will be active for the first time this season as Rudolph’s backup.
Roethlisberger has said he is vaccinated against coronavirus. If he is asymptomatic, Roethlisberger can return to the Steelers facility and play Nov. 21 at the Los Angeles Chargers as long as two consecutive PCR tests taken at least 24 hours apart are negative. If Roethlisberger is symptomatic, he must complete two negative PCR tests and be asymptomatic for at least 48 hours. If he doesn’t return two negative tests, Roethlisberger must stay way for 10 days, which would rule him out for playing against the Chargers next weekend.
Rudolph is 5-4 in nine career starts and has made 15 appearances in his four NFL seasons. He started the 2020 season finale at Cleveland when Roethlisberger was rested for the playoffs. Rudolph completed 22 of 39 passes for 315 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 24-22 loss. He has not appeared in a game this season.
In addition to starting a backup quarterback, the Steelers will be without two starting wide receivers. JuJu Smith-Schuster is out for the season because of a shoulder injury, and Chase Claypool was ruled out Sunday because of a toe injury. Rudolph’s starting wide receivers will be Diontae Johnson and James Washington.
Roethlisberger, 39, has started every game in 2021, completing 65.6% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
In 2020, Roethlisberger and three teammates were forced into quarantine when tight end Vance McDonald tested positive for covid-19. Although he missed an entire week of practice, Roethlisberger was activated in time to start against the Cincinnati Bengals and led the Steelers to a 36-10 victory in Week 10.
Roethlisberger is the first Steelers player to be placed on the reserve/covid list this season.
Roethlisberger did not practice Wednesday or Thursday because of a shoulder injury. He was listed as a full participant Friday.
The Steelers are 5-3 and have won four in a row heading into their game against 0-8 Detroit.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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