PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been activated from the Reserve / COVID-19 list and is expected to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Roethlisberger was struck off the list on Saturday morning, along with three others who were viewed as “high risk” close ties with Vance McDonald, who went on the list on Monday with a positive coronavirus test. Linebackers Vince Williams, Jaylen Samuels and offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins have been removed from the list, though likely only Roethlisberger and Williams, both veterans, will play against the Bengals because of coach Mike Tomlin’s practice rule. All four were isolated for five days and were unable to train with the team during the week.
The Steelers are organizing an extended tour today to enable Roethlisberger to do some work in the helmet before the game on Sunday.
“If he deviates from the protocol,” said Tomlin on Friday, “we will take a longer tour tomorrow to give him an insight into some of the situational things that put the finishing touches to our work.” to allow him to work with those entitled he has worked with in the game, to have any necessary informal conversations that will allow us to have some level of comfort when we come into the game. “
The Steelers expected Roethlisberger to have clear protocol and spent the week preparing for him to face the Bengals. Though Roethlisberger hasn’t trained, the Steelers are confident in their 17 year old veterans.
“I’m not overly concerned about this,” Tomlin said on Tuesday. “This guy has been doing his job for 17 years. He has a quick experience to fall back on. We’ll still be working extremely hard to prepare virtually. Much of his work is over our necks in terms of preparation anyway. I have very few concerns, to be completely honest. “
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