Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Has Pec Injury; Tomlin Says PIT Must Be 'Adjustable'

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is dealing with a left pectoral injury that could affect his preparation for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"We'd better be ready to be adjustable," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters Tuesday.

Roethlisberger is completing 62.5 percent of his pass attempts through two games, which ranks 27th in the NFL. He's thrown for 483 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The deep pass has not been a part of Pittsburgh's offensive attack as the quarterback is averaging just 6.7 yards per pass attempt.

With Roethlisberger limited, Pittsburgh may turn to a more balanced approach on offense instead of relying heavily on the passing game. Rookie running back Najee Harris leads the team with 83 rushing yards, while receiver Chase Claypool ranks second with 22.

In Sunday's loss to the Raiders, Roethlisberger attempted 40 passes while the Steelers ran 14 times. He was sacked twice for the second successive game and was hit 10 times, which might explain why he's banged up.

Roethlisberger told reporters after the game that it's "frustrating" that there hasn't been much offensive improvement from last year.

"I put a lot of stinking time in, more than I probably ever have," he said.

The 39-year-old contemplated retirement prior to this season. He took a pay cut and adjusted his contract to give the Steelers flexibility in free agency.

If Roethlisberger misses time, Mason Rudolph is Pittsburgh's backup quarterback. He's played in 15 games with nine starts, throwing 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Dwayne Haskins, a 2019 first-round pick, signed with the Steelers in January and is the third-string quarterback.