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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t stepped onto the field in a competitive atmosphere in nearly a calendar year, so when he looks across the line against the New York Giants on Monday night, he anticipates “shaking like a leaf.”
“You always have a little bit of jitters and nervousness for the first game, but the way I feel now is more than I’ve felt in a very long time,” Roethlisberger told reporters Wednesday. “I’m sure it’s only going to intensify as the week goes on. And then, Monday night, I’m sure I’m going to be shaking like a leaf.
“It’s one of those things where you get out there and hopefully it all comes back to me really quick. There’s going to be rust, there’s no doubt about it, but hopefully, we can get it knocked off sooner rather than later.”
After undergoing elbow surgery last year and then watching as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the sports landscape, Roethlisberger wasn’t entirely sure he’d see the field again until 2021. Now he’s just days away from returning and he’s beginning to feel it.
“I think that’s what makes it fun. If it wasn’t nervous and I didn’t have that anxiousness, then I think that you shouldn’t be out there. There’s not a love for the game if you don’t have that,” Roethlisberger added. “Since I have those nerves already, it just shows that I still love this game, I’m still passionate for it, and I want to go out and win for my teammates and the fans and the city.”
Roethlisberger’s first start back will also be a tricky one. In addition to potentially being on a pitch count, the Steelers don’t really know what to expect from the Giants. They’ve got a brand new head coach in Joe Judge, a new offensive coordinator in Jason Garrett and a new defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham.
“We’ve watched a lot of different film,” Roethlisberger said. “I don’t know the last time we’ve watched so many different teams, from Patriots to Giants to Dolphins, some Packers stuff. We’ve watched a lot of different things … We don’t really know, so we’ve got to be able to have a plan, and then work that plan and then plan for the unexpected. There’s going to have to be a lot of sideline adjustments going on, and I like the fact that we’re a veteran enough team that I hope we can make those adjustments.
“We can plan for things, but until you get out there, you don’t know what you’re going to see.”
Dealing with both nerves and confusion, it will be on the Giants defense to pounce early and potentially sour Roethlisberger’s return.
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