3 ways Steelers can help Ben Roethlisberger stay fresh in 2021
By Tommy Jaggi
Consider resting Ben Roethlisberger when the situation calls for it
This one seems a little bold, and I can understand why. However, the NFL is set to play more games in 2021 than it ever has in a single season, and that’s not good for a player like Ben Roethlisberger. While fans obviously want to see their team for an extra game of regular-season action, this extra contest may be worse for Ben than any player in the league – thanks to his lofty injury history and age.
Because of this, the Steelers need to consider resting him when the situation calls for it. This doesn’t mean that Pittsburgh needs to pick 3 or 4 games on their schedule that they should decide to sit Ben. Rather, they should be looking for opportunities to get him off the field when the game is out of reach one way or another.
If the Steelers are either up or down big in the second half of the game, that could be an opportunity to sit Ben and see what Mason Rudolph can do. In addition, the Steelers could have a few packages for Rudolph to relieve Ben when he appears to be banged up or winded.
Taking advantage of all of these opportunities, Pittsburgh may be able to save Ben’s arm of 75-100 passes by the end of the season. This doesn’t seem like a lot, but for a quarterback who led the NFL in pass attempts per game in 2020, this could make a difference late in the season.