Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers warms up before a game against the Chicago Bears at Heinz Field on November 08, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and will miss Sunday’s game versus the Detroit Lions.
Roethlisberger has said he is vaccinated, meaning he can exit isolation with two negative tests 24 hours apart. But the timing doesn’t favor the Steelers, and head coach Mike Tomlin will need to reconfigure his offense.
Backup Mason Rudolph is expected to get his first start of the season. Rudolph has experience starting for the Steelers when he stepped up during a previous Roethlisberger injury, but playing on such short notice will ramp up the pressure for the young quarterback.
In the 2019 season, Rudolph started eight games for the Steelers and produced a decent record of 5-3. In his lone start last season, Rudolph threw for 315 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
This may feel like an audition for Rudolph, who hopes to be Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback after Roethlisberger retires. Dwayne Haskins is expected to serve as Rudolph’s backup on Sunday.
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