Ben Roethlisberger enters Week 13 as the NFL’s longest-tenured starting quarterback, having been in his Steelers QB1 post since early in the 2004 season. But the veteran Pittsburgh passer is unlikely to play a 19th season in 2022.
The future Hall of Famer has informed some within the organization and some ex-teammates he does not expect to return to the Steelers next season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Roethlisberger has not announced any retirement plans and is unlikely to do so before season’s end, but Schefter adds it is “highly unlikely” the Pro Bowl passer plays for another team.
While Big Ben put retirement on the table years ago, he instead opted to play a few more seasons. He had the Steelers back in the playoffs in 2020, after they had missed the previous two brackets, and did so after suffering the most significant injury of his career. Roethlisberger endured extensive rehab on his surgically repaired elbow, which ended his 2019 season that September. He returned to throw 33 touchdown passes — the second-highest total of his career — in 2020.
The third quarterback drafted in 2004, Roethlisberger has outlasted both Eli Manning and Philip Rivers. Manning capped his career at 16 seasons, while Rivers walked away after 17. Of the trio, Roethlisberger is easily the safest bet to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The former No. 11 overall pick started in three Super Bowls, winning two, and led a game-winning drive to defeat the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. Big Ben, 39, is a six-time Pro Bowler whose numbers improved in his 30s compared to playing on defense-powered teams in his early years.
Roethlisberger’s 410 touchdown passes sit eighth all time, while his 62,870 passing yards are sixth in league history. Although injuries have taken a toll on the increasingly immobile passer, he has started 241 career games. Other than a COVID-19 contraction last month, Roethlisberger has started each Steelers game since returning from elbow surgery last year. QBR tabs him 24th through his 10 starts this season, however. The Steelers revamped their offensive line this offseason and have been inconsistent on both sides of the ball, sliding to 5-5-1 after mounting a run earlier this season.
The Steelers reached a pay-cut agreement to bring Big Ben back this season, and they still have not identified a true heir apparent at quarterback. Roethlisberger retiring would put the onus on the organization to do so, though the team does have backup Mason Rudolph signed beyond 2021. Dwayne Haskins can be retained as a restricted free agent in 2022.
Been dreading his retirement for years. Proud to call him my Qb. Love him to death. So grateful to get to watch him play his entire career with the Steelers. I think some Steelers fans are gonna realize how good we had it when it comes time to find a replacement. QBs like him don’t grow on trees.
Most overrated arrogant SOB in the league. He’s at least 2 years late. I respect his past talent and accomplishments but can’t stand the human that he is. Even though I think much of his success was aided by the talent around him. I guess everyone’s is to some degree but he’s had more raw talent around him than Brady, Rodgers , Rivers…. Maybe not Brees .., just my opinion.
Good thing it is just “your opinion.” Stats don’t lie… He’s a first ballot whether you think he was aided by talent or not
A teeny weeny bit of over the top dramatics? Geesch. Wonder who your team is….I have a pretty good idea.
Ben IS a disgusting human being only to attempt to “clear his name” by getting married and having children.
If you think he’s a genuinely good person, you’re the audience he’s looking for.
Good riddance, good bye, and good seat in hell.
Can’t wait for the multiple forthcoming 4-13 seasons for Yinzer Nation. Couldn’t happen to a better franchise.
Jealous Clowns fan incoming……
Oh man. I wish we had you guys around to figure out more things you weren’t there to see. You know, who shot Kennedy, D.B. Cooper, whether Clinton inhaled, why the Packers traded up for Jordan Love…
DB Cooper… that’s a good story
Actually, on the TV show Leverage they solved the D.B. Cooper case…
DB Cooper was Loki look it up
He threw for 4900 yards a couple of years ago. I get giving it one more shot… but for the Steelers to not have competent backup just in case is on them. Dalton, Winston, Foles, Minshew… plenty of veteran backups with starting experience they could of gotten this offseason.
Nobody is more arrogant than Rodgers.
There is one guy.
Pretty good career for a rapist
As good or better than Kobe’s?
Wow the way he has played the last years I thought he had retired. I guess he can go back to molesting women
You’re such a loser dude
Well, if Schefty says it, it must be true.
As a Steelers fan, Big Ben will be missed. Looking forward to the Steelers Alumni Weekend the year he goes into the Hall.
I think Eli, Ben, and Philip are going to be in the HoF. Eli & Ben have the rings; and Phillip has a whole lot of stats. Great class and been fun watching them for a long time.
J.P. Losman probably not going to make it.
Missed it by………this much.
arty! I agree. In addition to the Big 3 QB’s the ’04 Draft class will add Larry Fitzgerald. 4 HOF’ers from the 1st rd of the same draft class.
Not a great human being or teammate, but a great QB.
Fun to watch in his prime.
And, yeah, the yinzers aren’t gonna like Mark Malone 2.0 or whatever.
To be fair, having watched and followed him closely all these years, I think he’s a much, much better person and teammate now than he was 10 or even 5 years ago. He’s still can be a drama queen and is just about completely clueless when it comes to P.R., but he’s not the spoiled brat he was at the start of his career. But fans expect their star quarterbacks to be vocal leaders and/or have outgoing personalities, and that isn’t him.
Steeler fans had better be sure to appreciate the rest of this season, even if Ben is a shell of his former self. Between lack of draft capital and lack of possible starting QB options for next season, it’s likely Mark Malone/Bubby Brister time for awhile.
They shouldn’t let known predators into to the hof
So who are you going to nominate to run the show trials now that Andrei Vyshinsky has passed on?
Why not?
Probably one of the best 1st round drafts ever
Manning
Fitzgerald
Rivers
Roethlisberger
Jonathan Vilma
Dj Williams had a nice career for the Broncos
Will Smith had a good career with the Saints
Vince Wilfork
Steven Jackson had 11,000+ yards in his career
Ben Watson had a very long career of 15 years
Lots of solid/good players, too. Sean Taylor, Robert Gallery, Roy Williams, Deangelo Hall, Lee Evans, Tommy Harris, Jason Babin, etc.
Agreed whole-heartedly with both comments. The possible HoFers are evidence enough, but plenty of people forget the solid career players who were Ring of Honor types with their respective teams. Robert Gallery, Tommie Harris, and Johnathan Vilma are perfect examples.
In other news, the sky is blue
I wish he could announce this himself. I know there’s not much news today but he deserves this right
He also deserved some prison time that he didn’t get.
Good grief you are an idiot!
Just gotta ignore these ignorant losers
It’s pretty clear that deal is Big Ben’s wife since he feels the need to stick up for him after every negative comment.
It’s pretty clear that you, along with the other clown & ravens fans on here have no clue what they’re talking about
Im a Steelers fan and that made me chuckle
He should’ve.
He committed sexual assault twice and only got 4 games suspended.
Think if he did that accent after the #metoo and rising sexually assault cases.
But NFL only punishes players they want to and so are inconsistent.
Aaron Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh.
Pitt should definitely be in the hunt for Rodgers.
They have receivers, a TE, a RB, need some oline help and defense help
I would love to see it, but I honestly can’t see it happening. Among other reasons, Rodgers isn’t putting himself behind that offensive line.
I think next season you’ll see either Andy Dalton or Marcus Mariotta in Pittsburgh.
I think you’d see Jimmy G here before either one of those guys. Shame that like Rodgers in GB, the Steelers didn’t want to offend Ben by taking a stud QB out of college (and no, Rudolph was not a stud selection). This team has many, many problems, from O-line, to the need of a couple linebackers and DB’s, and certainly new offensive and defensive coordinators, but sheesh, none greater than a capable QB coming in
Assuming no cap issues, which might be a big assumption, seems like Garopolo would be the type of move they’d make.
I’d prefer Tyrod Taylor as a cheaper stopgap alternative.
kenny pickett, come on down.
Roethlisberger was a stud QB until age caught up with him. Guess he should have tried the TB12 PED treatments.
About time.
Be interesting to see what they do as a replacement. Do they let Rudolph and Haskins have a year and prove themselves and at worse get a top QB in the draft a year later?
Or do they chase a Watson or Russ in a trade?
Lower their standards to maybe a Jimmy G, Baker, Darnold or Bridgewater?
I think next year they will go Rudolph an absolutely suck
I think Rudolph has already proven he’s nothing more than a backup. A capable backup, but you won’t win many games with him starting.
As for Haskins, who knows? But there’s got to be a reason he hasn’t taken a snap yet this season.
Trading for a “big name” QB isn’t the Steelers style. They’ll will most definitely draft a QB and keep drafting one until they hit.
For us Steelers fans old enough to remember the Mark Malone/Mike Tomczak/Bubby Brister years, we might be looking for other things to do on Sundays for a few years
Interesting point about Watson. He would be perfect but with the baggage? The town was divided and in a rancor when they signed Vick, so can you imagine the spectacle of trying to have this situation with a “model organization?”
Maybe now he’ll admit he never scored that TD in SB XL.
Only 6 of 17 pro bowls, no all pros, lead league in ints twice, never the best player on the field (Pouncey, Ward, AB, Leveon)…. Not a HOFer.
Cold takes for 1000 please
He was surrounded by some great, team-oriented guys that represent another bygone era that was finished when Bettis, Troy, Harrison, Heath, Farrior, among others, retired or like Santonio, were let go
I was never a huge fan of Ben but when you look at old vids it’s pretty clear that he created a lot of plays by his sheer size. Very hard to bring down, even though he always held onto the ball way too long. With age and injuries, those attributes diminished a few years ago. Colbert and Tomlin should have seen this coming. Maybe they did, but to not prepare for life after him just smacked of being sentimental and not willing to “insult” him with an addition who would step in. Dobbs and then Rudolph were just “safe” picks for a back-up, not anything approaching an eye to the future
Yeah, only six pro bowls…man, I get that a lot of people hate Roethlisberger, but there’s no way that you’d list all those things about another player and make the same argument. He’s had a good career, and he’s been a great player. This is not a comparative statement. The players that you bring up to compare him to are also great players-that should tell you something about where Ben Roethlisberger stands.
Roethisberger’s arm has gotten weak enough to get him onto the PIrates pitching rotation…so that’s a sure sign it’s time to retire.
Rodgers. Isn’t coming to Pittsburgh…do you think if he did that would make the Steelers a Superbowl winner….nope…he’s too expensive…too old…draft is the way to go..love Pickett
Good. He should have been booted years ago when he raped that woman then threatened her into taking a settlement out of court kinda how Kobe did it. But because they are sports stars they can do whatever they want I supposed.