Ben Roethlisberger Says He Isn't Done Yet: "It Really Put A Little Fire into Me"

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is on his way back to an NFL field and is excited to see what the 2020 season has in store.

PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger missed the last 14 games of the 2019 season to have surgery on his elbow. Another missed year for the Steelers, Roethlisberger watched from the sidelines as his team failed to make the playoffs for the second-straight year. 

2020 is set to be different. Roethlisberger is back throwing, without pain, and ready to get back onto the field. The 38-year-old quarterback has two-years left on his contract and plans to stick it out as long as possible. Starting with the upcoming season.

“I am excited to come back,” Roethlisberger said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “because I think that [the defense] is going to be an integral part of a potential championship run, which is what we’re all looking for.”

Before the release of a video featuring Roethlisberger throwing a football, questions ran crazy through Pittsburgh. Was Ben coming back? How healthy can he be? How much does he have left? 

It was never ending. But for Roethlisberger, it was motivation. 

“I think it really put a little fire into me,” Roethlisberger said. “Like, ‘This is not the end for me. This is now how I’m going out. I’m going to go bust my butt and I’m going to give it everything I have to just give myself a chance to just come back and try to and better than ever.’”

Roethlisberger said earlier this month that he's throwing with Steelers wide receiver Ryan Switzer at his home outside of Pittsburgh. Keeping social distance, the two are working during quarantine to get back into the rhythm of things while the NFL adjusts to life without facilities.