PITTSBURGH — Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he thinks quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should be able to play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals even though he was added to the reserve/COVID-19 list this week along with four other players.
Roethlisberger was placed on the list Tuesday along with linebacker Vince Williams, running back Jaylen Samuels and tackle Jerald Hawkins, one day after tight end Vance McDonald was placed on the list.
A team source, however, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Roethlisberger tested negative for the virus. Tomlin said Tuesday only one of the five players tested positive, but he wouldn't identify the player.
"As long as the tests come back negative, we believe all four players will be made available Saturday," Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. "They have an opportunity to suit up and play this weekend."
Roethlisberger and the other players have to be isolated for five days and are not permitted at the South Side team facility, though they can participate in virtual meetings. They have to pass COVID-19 protocol tests throughout the week before they are eligible to return.
But Tomlin indicated Roethlisberger and Williams have the best chance of playing without practice because of their experience. Roethlisberger might have even been limited in practice this week anyway after injuring his left knee Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
"It also gives their body a chance to get some much-needed rest," Tomlin said. "We're optimistic those guys will be their normal selves if they play this weekend."
Players can return within five days if they don't show any symptoms and have back-to-back negative tests. If a player displays symptoms of the virus and has a positive test, he must be out a minimum of 10 days and not show any new or exaggerated symptoms for the next 72 hours.
"We got a lot of decisions to make in this environment, how we manage it, the players we choose to utilize, how we minimize their negative traits," Tomlin said. "These are issues everybody in the league has to deal with. We're working our tails off to adhere to the protocol."
Part of that will be holding all meetings remotely this week and making sure players are rotated for their weight-training sessions.
"We're not overly concerned about that," Tomlin said. "We have no reservations about the remote meetings this week."
If Roethlisberger doesn't play, Mason Rudolph would make his first start since Nov. 24 last season against the Bengals, when he was pulled in favor of Devlin Hodges early in the second half. If Williams doesn't play, it will mark the debut of Avery Williamson, who was acquired in a trade last week with the New York Jets.
