Reports: Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger Won't Need Tommy John Surgery
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won't have to undergo the Tommy John surgery, and he is expected to be back for the 2020 season.
According to EPSN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Roethlisberger's elbow injury is unclear, but it won't require a Tommy John surgery.
Ben Roethlisberger won't have Tommy John surgery and he is expected back for the 2020 season, per sources.https://t.co/IznDXJHFVA
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2019
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Tommy John surgery is a surgical procedure where a healthy tendon is extracted and then used to replace a torn ligament.
Citing a league source, Schefter says Roethlisberger should be ready to go for the 2020 season.
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Roethlisberger had the same sentiment, saying in a statement on Sept. 16 that he expects to be ready to go as soon as possible.
He said, in part:
"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 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."
The Steelers haven't said which part of Roethlisberger's elbow was injured.
A local doctor says after Roethlisberger undergoes surgery, advances in medicine will allow for faster healing.
"Now we're pushing those limits a little bit more, where you're starting to see the throwing phase of therapy occur between the six and 12-week mark and the full return placed somewhere between the six and nine-month mark," he told KDKA in an earlier interview.
