Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger played a terrific second half in Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. Apparently, that was due to a little tweak in his throwing motion.

On his weekly 93.7 FM radio segment Tuesday, Roethlisberger admitted that he is still being bothered by an elbow injury he suffered in Week 1. As a result, he decided to adjust his mechanics at halftime.

“The second half, I had a talk with myself and said I had to suck it up and deliver the ball like I need to and force my way through it,” Roethlisberger said per Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“I was just dealing with a little bit of an elbow issue. It made me drop my elbow a little bit for the comfort factor, which causes the ball to sail.”

Article Continues Below
More Pittsburgh Steelers News
Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) reacts after a catch against the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth quarter in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
George Pickens replaced by Steelers star at Pittsburgh youth camp he bailed onBen Strauss ·
One mystery player in the middle, Aaron Rodgers, Alex Highsmith around him, Pittsburgh Steelers logo in the background
1 perfect Pittsburgh Steelers move to fill out roster before 2025 training campEnzo Flojo ·
steelers, steelers trade, pittsburgh steelers, cordarrelle patterson
1 obvious Pittsburgh Steelers trade candidate entering 2025 training campGarrett Kerman ·
Dec 15, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
DK Metcalf a ‘big reason’ Aaron Rodgers signed with the SteelersMike Gianakos ·
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks over his helmet during minicamp at their South Side facility.
Aaron Rodgers promises to disappear when he retires from NFLBen Strauss ·
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen (6) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium.
Steelers’ Patrick Queen gets real on what’s motivating him this offseasonGuillermo Guajardo ·

That tweak proved to have a tremendous effect as he completed 10 of 12 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns for a perfect passer rating in the second half. It was a tremendous improvement from the first half when Roethlisberger went just 9 of 17 for 95 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Roethlisberger has not had a particularly strong start to the season, and his lingering elbow injury has likely played a significant part in his recent struggles. It remains to be seen how long the injury ends up being an issue for him this season.

Luckily, the Falcons game shows that he is clearly capable of overcoming his physical limitations. The challenge for him now is to find more consistency in his throwing motion so that the Steelers can finally start to reel off some wins this season after their relatively slow start.