3 reasons Steelers fans shouldn’t panic without Big Ben

Steelers fans have every right to be concerned about Ben Roethlisberger’s injury, but it’s not time for panic in Pittsburgh. 

The news that Ben Roethlisberger’s 2019 season is over is justifiably causing a significant amount of consternation inside the Steelers’ passionate fan base. Losing Big Ben doesn’t mean Pittsburgh’s season is over though. There are still some reasons to be optimistic about what Mike Tomlin’s team can accomplish without their veteran quarterback.

At the very least, it’s too early for Steelers fans to engage in full-blown panic. The Super Bowl might be out of reach now, but that was a long shot anyway. There’s certainly still a reasonable path towards the postseason for this team. Read on to discover three reasons why Steelers fans shouldn’t be panicking about the absence of Big Ben.

3. Mason Rudolph might be good

Plenty of Steelers fans seem to have ignored the fact that Rudolph almost led their favorite team to an improbable comeback win against the Seahawks. The second-year pro acquitted himself very well by going 12-of-19 for 112 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. It wasn’t enough to get his team a valuable win, but it did show glimpses of what Rudolph is capable of producing this season.

None of this means that Rudolph is going to suddenly take this team by the horns and make everyone forget all about Big Ben. That’s almost certainly not going to happen. What it does mean is that it’s very possible that Rudolph can provide Pittsburgh something approximating adequate starting quarterback play as the season progresses.

If he does that, Rudolph will solidify himself as Pittsburgh’s quarterback of the future. It also might be good enough to sneak the Steelers into the postseason. The quarterback situation in the Steel City is not hopeless.