When Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returns to action on Sunday, nearly a month after injuring his shoulder and suffering a dislocated rib, he’ll be carrying some extra baggage.
Per the Associated Press, Roethlisberger will wear a “custom fit rib/chest compression shirt.” Also, a layer of “Kevlar-lined composite” has been added to his shoulder pads to absorb hits to the shoulder/clavicle region.
That raises an obvious question. Why don’t more players use this when they’re not injured?
We realize the balance between having enough equipment to be safe and not so much that it affects speed and mobility, but if these lightweight materials can be used to prevent potential rib and/or shoulder and/or collarbone injuries, it would make sense to use them not only when coming back from an injury to those areas, but to avoid having the injuries in the first place.
Or he could just wear his giant Costanza-style Gore-Tex coat. That thing looks impenetrable.