Ben Roethlisberger's Haircut Amid COVID-19 Draws Concern from PA Gov. Tom Wolf

Adam Hunger/Associated Press

When Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he wouldn't cut his hair or shave until he could throw again following September elbow surgery, he surely thought the only obstacle he would have to overcome was his own rehab and recovery process.

Instead, he and so many others faced a situation where barbershops and hair salons were closed because of COVID-19 concerns.

Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf was not pleased that Roethlisberger elected to get a haircut when Allegheny and many other counties are in the "yellow" phase of reopening and not the "green" one required for barbershops and hair salons to open.

Brooke Pryor of ESPN shared Wolf's comments from his Tuesday daily briefing: 

"My concern is just a general concern. Anybody who puts himself or herself into harm's way is something that I think we have to try to avoid. When you go to something like a barbershop and you're not protected, I don't care who you are, the chances of that virus actually wreaking havoc on your life increases.

"I don't personally think any Pennsylvanian ought to take that chance. I certainly don't want to take that chance myself."

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

The comments came after the Steelers posted a video of Big Ben's promise he wouldn't shave until he could throw to NFL players and then him receiving a haircut after doing just that with JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner.

Roethlisberger played a mere two games last season as the Steelers missed the playoffs for the second straight year.

He is on the road to recovery as he looks to change his team's recent slump, but the governor is not pleased with his decision to include a haircut as part of that process.