While he’s never been a teammate of his, current Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Terrell Suggs likes to think he knows Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger very well. After all, Suggs played most of his career against Roethlisberger as a member of the Baltimore Ravens and during that span of years the two players developed quite a friendship with each other likely based initially off supreme admiration for one another.
With Suggs preparing this week in Miami, FL to play in his second career Super Bowl on Sunday, the longtime Ravens linebackers was asked about Roethlisberger and his ability to comeback in 2020 from the serious elbow injury that he suffered early during the 2019 season that resulted in him needing surgery and a lengthy rehab.
“A competitor like that, a warrior, he’s not going to want to end his career on the sideline. I think he definitely comes back,” Suggs said Wednesday of Roethlisberger, according to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Suggs, who was originally selected by the Ravens in the first-round of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Arizona State, started his 2019 season with the Arizona Cardinals after signing with them as an unrestricted free agent last offseason. The Cardinals ultimately parted ways with Suggs in the middle of December and the veteran linebacker quickly found yet another new home with the Chiefs.
Throughout his career with the Ravens, Suggs was never one to hide his feelings or predictions when it came to Roethlisberger and his health and especially during weeks leading up to games against the Steelers. Also, Suggs has had a lot of up-close and personal time with Roethlisberger over the course of the last 17 seasons as nobody has sacked the Steelers quarterback more times than he has, which is 17 times including playoff games.
While Suggs expects Roethlisberger to return in 2020 and play as usual, Sunday’s Super Bowl game at Hard Rock Stadium might be the final time the linebacker ever plays in an NFL game and especially if the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers. Suggs will turn 37 in October so he’s likely to retire sometime during the offseason.
Suggs’ one and only Super Bowl championship to date came seven years ago as a member of the Ravens and strangely enough, against the 49ers. While Roethlisberger isn’t likely to have much of a rooting interest in Sunday’s Super Bowl, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear that he’s pulling for the Chiefs because of Suggs.
