Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger out for the season

The Steelers will be without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for the remainder of the 2019 season, per Mike Tomlin’s statement on Steelers.com.

Roethlisberger left yesterday’s game against the Seahawks with an elbow injury he initially suffered in the first quarter. He played through the second quarter but eventually had to be replaced by backup Mason Rudolph. The Seahawks ultimately held onto a 28-26 victory, causing the Steelers to drop to an 0-2 record to begin the season.

Roethlisberger was 8-15 for 75 yards before he was replaced by Rudolph, who finished the game by going 12-19 with 112 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Roethlisberger will finish 2019, his 16th season, with 351 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. He had never missed more than four games in a season before.

This past April, Pittsburgh and Roethlisberger agreed to a two-year $68 million extension with $37.5 million guaranteed at signing and $30 million for injury guarantees. As of now, Roethlisberger accounts for $33.5 million against the cap in 2020, but who knows if he’ll still be on the team next year.

The Steelers will ride with Rudolph for the next 14 games, which includes two matchups with the Bengals that now look very promising for Zac Taylor’s bench.

Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess as to who leads them into the future.