Steelers GM non-committal on Ben Roethlisberger returning in 2021
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot to figure out after another disappointing end to their season and Big Ben’s future with the team may be in question.
The Pittsburgh Steelers watched an 11-0 start to last season fizzle out into a disappointing 12-4 finish, capped by a Wild Card loss to the Cleveland Browns.
On top of yet another mediocre season, Steelers fans had to watch the rapid decline of Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben has been the leader for black and yellow since 2004 and led them to Super Bowl championships in ’06 and ’09.
He threw for 3,803 total yards and 33 touchdowns against 10 interceptions last season, but also threw a career-low 6.3 yards per attempted pass.
We knew a week ago that Roethlisberger would be meeting with management to discuss his contract situation and it looks like the conversations have been held.
Steelers GM comments on Big Ben’s future in Pittsburgh
The Steel Curtain has a ton of pressing concerns this offseason. A coaching staff overhaul is sure to affect things next season. JuJu Smith-Shuster is set to become a free agent next month.
With Big Ben set to cost the Steelers $41.2 million in cap space in 2021, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert didn’t sound super enthusiastic about the return of Roethlisberger to the organization.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert doesn't give a strong endorsement for Ben Roethlisberger as QB in 2021: "As we sit here today, Ben is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. ... He reiterated to us that he wants to continue to play. We told him we have to look at this current situation."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) February 17, 2021
Roethlisberger has maintained that he would like to return to Pittsburgh for his 18th season but it’s unclear if the Steelers will be able to keep him. As their division continues to get more competitive, Mike Tomlin’s team has certainly regressed.
For now, it’s unclear if Roethlisberger will be a part of Pittsburgh’s rebuild but he can’t love what he heard from his general manager today.