Ben Roethlisberger Expected to Play vs. Chiefs After Elbow Injury

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is officially listed as questionable for Week 2 on the team's injury report, but according to the team website, his teammates expect him to be under center for Sunday's home opener. 

Roethlisberger suffered a bone bruise to his throwing elbow late in Pittsburgh's Week 1 draw against the Cleveland Browns. He missed practices on both Wednesday and Thursday but was a full participant on Friday.

Neither Roethlisberger nor Tomlin commented on the signal-caller's practice session. Some of his teammates did, however, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"He looked really good," Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey said on Friday. "No matter if he's at practice or not, you know how tough he is and the things he plays through. He's motivated to get back out there."

Wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster added: "Obviously, him throwing the ball first day back, he was taking it slow and getting back into it, but eventually it's game day, it's game time. He's going to be out there playing with your boys. I think that's what he's going to do."

Receiver Antonio Brown made it clear that Roethlisberger is no ordinary quarterback, per The Athletic's Mark Kaboly: 

Roethlisberger suffered the injury late in the season opener on Sunday, a game in which he struggled to deal with rain. He completed 23 of 41 pass attempts for 335 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, fumbling twice as well.

"Just got hit, a bruise; it will be fine," Roethlisberger said on Wednesday, according to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

While the injury kept him out of practice early on this week, the veteran never expected it to keep him from taking the field in Week 2.

"I don't plan on it," Roethlisberger said on Wednesday about potentially missing the Kansas City game, per Fowler.

Roethlisberger has been known to play hurt throughout his 15-year career. Given that he practiced on Friday, it appears as though he will once again tough it out and be there for his team this weekend. If he suffers a setback, though, 2017 fourth-round pick Josh Dobbs would get the start after taking first-team reps during practice this week.

Neither Dobbs nor rookie Mason Rudolph have taken a snap in the regular season during their respective NFL careers.

The Steelers (0-0-1) will host the Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.