Merril Hoge’s recent appearance on Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast was about more than just football; it was a prelude to a significant personal battle the Pittsburgh Steelers icon was facing in silence. Last week on the Footbahlin with Roethlisberger podcast, Hoge had an engaging discussion about the Hall of Honor event, the Steelers’ Super Bowl chances, and much more. But behind the scenes, Hoge was dealing with a hurdle before Christmas that only came to light days later. 

“Merril had it the next day, had elbow surgery,” said Ben Roethlisberger in the latest episode of his podcast. “So, Merril’s on the mend. He was asking me about, you know, elbow surgeries and this that and the other day. I’m like, it’s not going to be fun in the cast. It’s his left elbow, thankfully. But Merril, we’re thinking about you, praying for your brother. Hope your angel’s taking good care of you. And thank goodness it’s your left. Still do a lot of things with your right.”

So, Roethlisberger revealed that Hoge underwent elbow surgery the very next day after recording the podcast episode. It was news about Hoge that many fans likely missed, but one that speaks volumes about Hoge’s toughness. Roethlisberger explained that Hoge had been asking him questions about elbow procedures and recovery. 

But Roethlisberger, who knows a thing or two about playing through pain, didn’t sugarcoat it. Recovery wouldn’t be fun, especially with a cast. Still, there was one silver lining: the surgery was on Hoge’s left elbow. Thankfully, that meant Hoge could still manage most day-to-day tasks with his dominant right arm. So, Roethlisberger made sure to send his support, saying he was thinking about him and praying for a smooth recovery.

Then, Roethlisberger’s co-host, Spencer, also chimed in with his own message of appreciation for Merril Hoge. In the previous episode, Hoge had stepped in for Spencer, who was in the hospital caring for his daughter after her kidney transplant. This time, Spencer joked that the roles had reversed and he was now filling in for Hoge.

However, Spencer quickly turned serious when talking about Merril Hoge’s football mind. He openly wondered how someone with Hoge’s level of insight doesn’t have a major weekly platform breaking down the game.

“Merril’s one of those dudes that, I say this every time that he comes up in conversation, he’s one of the best football minds I think we still have,” Spencer said. “And the fact that he doesn’t have some kind of platform talking about ball and breaking it down on a weekly basis is insane to me.”

Roethlisberger agreed with Spencer’s view on Merril Hoge but added context. He noted that Hoge does DV and previously hosted a show on an East Station. But Roethlisberger also mentioned that the opportunity ended for Hoge in a way that he still does not understand.

“But they got rid of him [Hoge] because his points were too good and too matter-of-fact, which is so dumb,” Roethlisberger said. 

However, even as ESPN laid off Merril Hoge in 2017, he hasn’t slowed down. Now, he regularly breaks down plays and concepts on the Steelers’ official platforms. Hoge continues to educate football fans even while pushing through physical challenges.

Merril Hoge has pushed through setbacks throughout his life

Resilience feels almost routine for the Steelers icon at this point. Merril Hoge’s life story goes far beyond one elbow surgery. In 2015, just a month after undergoing surgery to repair an enlarged aorta, he returned to work as an analyst at ESPN. After all, what’s an open-heart surgery when compared to surviving depression, cancer, and a near-death experience? 

In 1994, during the final year of his NFL career, Merril Hoge flat-lined in the Chicago Bears locker room after suffering multiple concussions. While he was later resuscitated, doctors warned him that continuing to play could cause permanent brain damage. That forced him into early retirement in 1994.

Then came Merril Hoge’s battle with cancer. In 2003, doctors diagnosed him with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Thankfully, they caught it early, and he beat cancer completely. Later, in 2015, surgeons repaired, rather than replaced, his aorta. It was another major victory for Hoge.

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Moreover, it’s hard not to admire Merril Hoge’s perseverance. Hoge faced so many physical adversities and still showed up to teach, inspire, and give back to his football community.