Ben Roethlisberger is expected to undergo season-ending surgery to repair an elbow injury at some point in the coming week, but the procedure he is scheduled to have is not Tommy John surgery.
Roethlisberger does not need Tommy John surgery and has no concerns about being ready to play in 2020, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“There is complete optimism that he will be ready to roll next season,” Schefter’s source said. “No one is concerned that next year is going to be a problem.”
The exact nature of Roethlisberger’s elbow injury is still unknown, but Tommy John surgery typically requires a lengthy rehab and recovery period. Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme had the procedure on his throwing elbow in 2007 and led the team to a 12-4 record the following year, but avoiding it is still a better outcome for Roethlisberger.
There was speculation that Roethlisberger could retire after it was announced that he will miss the rest of 2019, but the 37-year-old immediately threw cold water on that. He signed a two-year extension with the Steelers this offseason and said he plans to honor the contract.
