The Pittsburgh Steelers are a title contender due in large part to Ben Roethlisberger, and suddenly, the future Hall of Famer wants to play longer. Why?
For years, Ben Roethlisberger has been talking about retirement. It’s never been a proclamation that “this year is it,” but the overtures have always suggested that he’s ready to move toward the sunset at a moment’s notice. Now, out of nowhere, Roethlisberger says he plans to play anywhere from three to five more seasons.
Big Ben’s rationale makes sense. He’s talking about an incredible group around him that includes Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Le’Veon Bell and a tremendous offensive line. Still, all of that was in place before Mason Rudolph was drafted in the third round of April’s NFL Draft, and nothing changed until then.
The reality? Roethlisberger had a fire lit under his keister when Pittsburgh turned in a card with the abbreviation QB on it. The Steelers may have been making that selection to simply start developing a potential heir to the throne, but in the process, it got the attention of their most important player. In this case, that’s a win-win.
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At 36 years old, Roethlisberger has a terrific chance to win his third title with this group. The Steelers are arguably the most talented team in the AFC, even with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots looming over the conference. Pittsburgh has to find a way to replace the irreplaceable in Ryan Shazier, but the offense should carry the mail for the most part.
Pittsburgh also has the urgency to make it happen. The Steelers know that despite his hopes and dreams, Roethlisberger can’t continue to play at such a high level for much longer. Bell is playing on his second franchise tag.