Pittsburgh Steelers Rumors: Ben Roethlisberger Knee Injury Could Be Season-Ending, Insiders Fear
The Pittsburgh Steelers are rumored to be in trouble, with Ben Roethlisberger suffering an injury in Sunday’s win over the St. Louis Rams that is feared to be season-ending.
The quarterback went down with a little more than five minutes left in the third quarter and the Steelers driving. Roethlisberger stepped up in the pocket to avoid the Rams pass rush and was tripped by a defender, landing awkwardly on his knee. Roethlisberger was seen clutching his right knee and had to be carted off the field.
As ESPN noted, Roethlisberger reached out to the sidelines for help and was in visible pain after the hit.
The Pittsburgh Steelers called on Michael Vick, who helped lead the team to a gritty 12-6 victory, but all the attention was on Ben Roethlisberger’s injury after the game.
While there is not yet word on the severity of the quarterback’s injury, the rumors around the Pittsburgh Steelers are not encouraging. Many noted that Roethlisberger’s knee twisted awkwardly, the hallmark of an ACL injury.
The safety who made the hit, Albert Barron, also ended quarterback Carson Palmer’s season last year.
Mark Barron ended Carson Palmer’s season last year with a clean hit. It was Barron who just brought down Ben Roethlisberger.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 27, 2015
NFL insider Albert Breer even compared Roethlisberger’s injury to the one that took Patriots quarterback Tom Brady out for the entire 2008 season.
Roethlisberger injury reminiscent of Brady’s in 2008… Defender on the ground, momentum carries him into the QB’s knee.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 27, 2015
The Steelers could be in trouble if Roethlisberger’s injury forces him to miss extended time. The team leaned heavily on him to lead what was considered the top offense in the league, and though Vick is a veteran with plenty of experience playing off the bench, the team would more than likely suffer a dropoff with him as quarterback.
Roethlisberger was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week last week, leading the Steelers to a win over the San Francisco 49ers by going 21-of-27 for 369 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers now stand at 2-1, with the only loss an opening week game against the New England Patriots.
It may take a while to determine if there are any truth to the troubling rumors surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger will likely have his injury evaluated more closely on Monday, at which time the team will determine how much time he could miss.
[Picture by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images]
