Ben Roethlisberger Passes COVID-19 Protocol, Expected to Start vs Chargers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been activated to the club’s 53-man roster from the Reserve/COVID-19 list, and is expected to start Sunday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, the team announced Saturday.

Roethlisberger will still fly separate from the team’s charter flight this afternoon, but appears primed to return to the lineup after missing last week’s tie with the Detroit Lions. He needed to produce two negative tests to clear the protocol.

#Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will be activated to the team’s 53-man roster after passing the NFL’s required COVID-19 protocols. He will fly separate this afternoon from the team’s charter plane to Los Angeles with the expectation of starting Sunday night vs the #Chargers.

— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) November 20, 2021

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Roethlisberger will “join the short list of fully vaccinated players who have ‘tested out’ and returned to play early.” Had he been unvaccinated, Roethlisberger would have had to sit out at least ten days.

#Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger tested positive for COVID-19 last Saturday. Barring any issues overnight, he’ll join the short list of fully vaccinated players who have “tested out” and returned to play early. Unvaccinated players must sit out 10 days under NFL-NFLPA protocols.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 20, 2021

Pittsburgh had been planning on starting backup quarterback Mason Rudolph for the second-straight week.

Roethlisberger has passed for 1,986 yards, ten touchdowns and four interceptions through eight games played this season.