UPDATE: Ben placed on IR with season ending injury

[stillers4me]

All the support from his teammates are making me teary eyed....

[st33lersguy]

It sucks for Ben, but this may be a blessing in disguise. We get a long look at Rudolph and what he can potentially do and see what he is like as a QB. Plus we can see what Tomlin can do without Ben for basically an entire year

[AtlantaDan]

Was at the game yesterday behind the Steelers bench.

After the announcement that Ben was questionable to return for the second half, I watched Ben on the sidelines.

Until midway through the third quarter Ben interacted with nobody but stood by himself on the sideline a good distance away from everyone.. As the second half progressed he talked more with Fichtner as plays were sent in while the Steelers were on offense, started talking with Rudolph, and was congratulating the defense as it came off the field after the Bush fumble return.

In hindsight I am wondering if Ben was spending the initial portion of the third quarter contemplating his career’s mortality given how serious he presumably felt the injury might be

Surgery has come a long way but elbow surgery on a throwing arm can require a long rehab/recovery period even if successful

Simply devastating news that illustrates the Woody Allen quote that “If you want to make God laugh tell him about your plans”

On to Mason Rudolph

[fansince'76]

Just keeps getting better and better...

Kind of eerily similar to Tommy Maddox's exit 15 years ago.

Pretty much the exact way Bradshaw went out.

[steelreserve]

Don’t they say that they come back stronger these days with the Tommy John Surgery?

It's still a 12 to 18 month recovery time, and even then it might take a while longer to actually be "game ready." If that's really what it is, Ben could be missing some or all of NEXT season.

Can't necessarily say it's a career-ender, since you have examples like Joe Montana coming back successfully after a full two years off in his late 30s ... but still far from guaranteed and a shit state of affairs to be in.

[EzraTank]

At 37, I have an eerie feeling Ben has played his last game. Tommy-John surgery is not something you just come back from easily and it usually takes 1-2 years to get back to normal. That would have him knocking on 40's doorstep. I'm not saying it's 100% over but all signs are pointing at it is.

Let the official rebuild begin. At this point 8-8 would be a victory but the fastest Tomlin and his coaching ban of morons are gone the faster we can rebuild.

Thanks Ben for two Superbowls. I wish you had better coaching around you, less selfish players, and a better defense the last 5 years ... you would have probably delivered another Superbowl or two!

[Squeegee Thompson]

I agree. He's 37, in the twilight of his career and now facing a significant surgery to his throwing arm. I think this it. Ben's done.

What a shitty way to go out.

[pczach]

There are plenty of people here today that are happy about Ben going down.

I read some of the comments calling him a drama queen when he left the game. Others stated that maybe Rudolph playing well will light a fire under his ass.....as if he wasn't trying. He couldn't possibly be playing hurt.....

I wish all the best to Ben. I hope he recovers fully from this very tough injury and is able to do whatever he wants to do with the rest of his life...including playing football.

I also hope the Mason Rudolph plays great, and is the answer to everyone's prayers going forward.....myself included.

A very small part of me would still like to see Rudolph join the long list of hyped players that never amounted to anything just so I could listen to the straight up morons that have bashed Ben forever actually come within throwing distance of understanding how great he has been, and how lucky those idiots have been to witness it.

[fansince'76]

A very small part of me would still like to see Rudolph join the long list of hyped players that never amounted to anything just so I could listen to the straight up morons that have bashed Ben forever actually come within throwing distance of understanding how great he has been, and how lucky those idiots have been to witness it.

While I hear you, as someone who lived through the entire post-Bradshaw/pre-Ben period and remembers just how painful it was (particularly during those years when the rest of the roster was championship caliber), I really hope they lucked out and struck gold with Rudolph...

[86WARD]

So all the news about the B population being in a decline and almost extinct at this stage is true. Boswell...the remaining B...lol

[JnK]

Terrible news and I wish Ben well. Like somebody else commented Ben played his heart out for this team and brought us a whole lot of great football. IMO it's a sad day for Steeler Nation.

[crcsnail]

A sad day . I did actually think at the time , that doesn’t look good . What a great QB Ben has been for us . Some of the most exciting plays ever and of course that tackle. Gonna miss the man .

[DesertSteel]

I've been a Steeler fan since 1972 and I can't tell you how much I hate comments like this one.

[steel striker]

Again I'm wish Ben all the best and, hopefully he can return next year but, I have read many people on this board dogging Ben BECAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! He is the best Qb we have had since Bradshaw like FS76 said many times on here like I have as well. I hope Mason does great and, leads this team to the playoffs we will see. Ben has been a great player hall of fame and, yet people here still talk bad about him mark my words if this is the end you will say man that Big Ben was pretty darn good and I miss him. If you want I can list the QB's in between Bradshaw & Ben? It was freaking UGLY!

[Mach1]

I've been a Steeler fan since 1972 and I can't tell you how much I hate comments like this one.

Bubby Brister doesn't like them either.

[ALLD]

But will it affect his golf game?

[tube517]

There are plenty of people here today that are happy about Ben going down.

I read some of the comments calling him a drama queen when he left the game. Others stated that maybe Rudolph playing well will light a fire under his ass.....as if he wasn't trying. He couldn't possibly be playing hurt.....

I wish all the best to Ben. I hope he recovers fully from this very tough injury and is able to do whatever he wants to do with the rest of his life...including playing football.

I also hope the Mason Rudolph plays great, and is the answer to everyone's prayers going forward.....myself included.

A very small part of me would still like to see Rudolph join the long list of hyped players that never amounted to anything just so I could listen to the straight up morons that have bashed Ben forever actually come within throwing distance of understanding how great he has been, and how lucky those idiots have been to witness it.

I ageree w/you . I'm pretty shocked at how everyone assumes this is it for Ben.

[86WARD]

There are plenty of people here today that are happy about Ben going down.

I read some of the comments calling him a drama queen when he left the game. Others stated that maybe Rudolph playing well will light a fire under his ass.....as if he wasn't trying. He couldn't possibly be playing hurt.....

I wish all the best to Ben. I hope he recovers fully from this very tough injury and is able to do whatever he wants to do with the rest of his life...including playing football.

I also hope the Mason Rudolph plays great, and is the answer to everyone's prayers going forward.....myself included.

A very small part of me would still like to see Rudolph join the long list of hyped players that never amounted to anything just so I could listen to the straight up morons that have bashed Ben forever actually come within throwing distance of understanding how great he has been, and how lucky those idiots have been to witness it.

It’s not in Ben’s make up to just fold after this injury. At the very least, he comes back and gives it a go...if it’s bad then, then he has the conversation about retirement. I don’t see him having that conversation anytime before he’s healed and back throwing the ball.

[DesertSteel]

Again I'm wish Ben all the best and, hopefully he can return next year but, I have read many people on this board dogging Ben BECAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! He is the best Qb we have had since Bradshaw like FS76 said many times on here like I have as well. I hope Mason does great and, leads this team to the playoffs we will see. Ben has been a great player hall of fame and, yet people here still talk bad about him mark my words if this is the end you will say man that Big Ben was pretty darn good and I miss him. If you want I can list the QB's in between Bradshaw & Ben? It was freaking UGLY!

Yes everybody on message boards is as old as dirt. It’s the original social media. Everyone needs to stop acting like no one knows what it’s like for the Steelers to have a bad QB. Let’s all hope MR is a good one. But I suspect some will secretly hope he sucks so they can say I told you so.

[Shoes]

I wish Ben all the best. This happening so early will give him time to think about his family and football future. If Mason carries the team through the season like a true #1 I think Ben will retire. Retiring has been on his mind for a few years now and Mason picking up the mantle and doing well could be a great way to retire. You have done all you could, its time for someone else to take over. I'm going through this in my work, but I'm delighted to hand over the mantle.

[Fire Goodell]

I ageree w/you . I'm pretty shocked at how everyone assumes this is it for Ben.

It could be, honestly a lot of it depends on Rudolph. If he has a great season, do we put Rudolph back on the bench for a former great who's on the tail end of his career? It's a really tough decision to make.

I know the saying is 'no starter should lose their job due to injury', but in the NFL it happens more often than not. Backup outperforming the starter especially in the long term (over the course of an entire season basically), would mean Ben played his last game in Pittsburgh most likely.

[86WARD]

I’m actually saying they go 3-3 in their first 6 games where before, they were going to be 0-6. Not because of Ben but because players AND COACHES are now going to have to up their game and find ways to win opposed to leaning on Ben.

I think they win this week, win next week, lose to the Ravens and beat the Chargers. Dolphins, Colts, Rams at home...that’s 5-4. I think they finish 10-6/9-7. Playoffs? Probably not...but maybe...

[tube517]

It could be, honestly a lot of it depends on Rudolph. If he has a great season, do we put Rudolph back on the bench for a former great who's on the tail end of his career? It's a really tough decision to make.

I know the saying is 'no starter should lose their job due to injury', but in the NFL it happens more often than not. Backup outperforming the starter especially in the long term (over the course of an entire season basically), would mean Ben played his last game in Pittsburgh most likely.

Naw, I was talking about people on Twitter. Ruthless. But yeah if we get to that point, then it's better than where we've been before (i.e. Kent Graham, Kordell, Brister, Malone, Maddox, etc)

[Born2Steel]

I didn’t even realize Ben had made the cover of the new Madden game.

[Fire Goodell]

I’m actually saying they go 3-3 in their first 6 games where before, they were going to be 0-6. Not because of Ben but because players AND COACHES are now going to have to up their game and find ways to win opposed to leaning on Ben.

I think they win this week, win next week, lose to the Ravens and beat the Chargers. Dolphins, Colts, Rams at home...that’s 5-4. I think they finish 10-6/9-7. Playoffs? Probably not...but maybe...

I just hope we can win a game.

[stillers4me]

[steelreserve]

It’s not in Ben’s make up to just fold after this injury. At the very least, he comes back and gives it a go...if it’s bad then, then he has the conversation about retirement. I don’t see him having that conversation anytime before he’s healed and back throwing the ball.

It may not be up to him, that's the thing.

First, depending on whether the injury is actually something he can come back from. If it's 12 months out and all he can throw are weak floaters, then what?

Also, if he is not at full strength next year, contract considerations start coming into play. $25M dead money if he is released/retires before the 2020 season, but a $33.5M cap hit if he is on the roster, followed by $31.5M if he's around for 2021.

People may have a huge emotional attachment to him as a hero who carried the team to two Super Bowls - but there is just no way you can carry $30M-plus for multiple seasons if you are not sure the guy can even play.

It helps that Rudolph is on his rookie contract, but that's up in 2021 also. The 2020 offseason is it, we've got to make a decision (otherwise Rudolph hits the open market in 2021 and is as good as gone, if he's worth keeping). How Rudolph plays is the 800-pound gorilla in the room, but we'll find out all we need to know about THAT now for sure.

Best case, Rudolph plays lights-out, wins the starting job, then gets hurt just before the 2020 playoffs; Ben comes off the bench and drags the team across the finish line for their 7th title and goes out as a hero.

Worst case, Rudolph breaks his leg in the first half against SF next week, so we still don't get a good read on his ability; the whole season is a complete waste and we have to hipshoot a huge decision in 2020 with very limited information. In that regard, forget praying for Ben's health right now, pray thst Rudolph stays healthy at least long enough to tell if he's for real.

[fansince'76]

Yes everybody on message boards is as old as dirt. It’s the original social media. Everyone needs to stop acting like no one knows what it’s like for the Steelers to have a bad QB. Let’s all hope MR is a good one. But I suspect some will secretly hope he sucks so they can say I told you so.

[stillers4me]

Will Ben be allowed to be on the side with headphones and help while on IR?

[Squeegee Thompson]

It's still a 12 to 18 month recovery time, and even then it might take a while longer to actually be "game ready." If that's really what it is, Ben could be missing some or all of NEXT season.

Can't necessarily say it's a career-ender, since you have examples like Joe Montana coming back successfully after a full two years off in his late 30s ... but still far from guaranteed and a shit state of affairs to be in.

I'm reading some reports that for QBs the recovery period is closer to 7-9 months. 12-18 is what MLB pitchers face. So, it's feasible he could come back next year.