Ben Roethlisberger vows to come back 'stronger than ever' after elbow surgery
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger isn’t going to let an elbow injury end his career. In a statement, Roethlisberger vowed to return to the Steelers “stronger than ever” in 2020.
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The 37-year-old Roethlisberger said that while he’s heartbroken over his season-ending elbow injury, he intends to honor his contract with the Steelers.
“I’ve been informed that I need season ending surgery on my elbow to continue playing football at the level I expect. This is shocking and heartbreaking for me, to miss this much of a season and feel like I am letting down so many people. I can only trust God’s plan, but I am completely determined to battle through this challenge and come back stronger than ever next season. The Steelers committed three years to me this offseason and I fully intend to honor my contract and reward them with championship level play. I will do all I can to support Mason [Rudolph] and the team this season to help win games. I love this game, my teammates, the Steelers organization and fans, and I feel in my heart I have a lot left to give.”
Roethlisberger signed a two-year extension worth $68 million with the Steelers in April, ensuring he would remain with the team through the 2021 season.
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While Roethlisberger played at a high level last season, questions about retirement have followed him since he admitted to seriously considering walking away from the game prior to the 2017 season. Since then, Roethlisberger has faced questions about retirement at the conclusion of the Steelers’ season.
With Roethlisberger sidelined, Rudolph will take over as the team’s starter for the rest of the season.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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