Watch: Ben Roethlisberger’s former and current teammates send thank you message upon retirement

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is being showered with love after announcing his retirement from the NFL. 

While it may have taken a little bit longer than expected, Ben Roethlisberger took to Twitter on Thursday morning to let NFL fans know everywhere that he has decided to retire. Roethlisberger, who spent the past 18 seasons with Pittsburgh, did so with an unreal video.

As you might have been able to guess, folks have wasted zero time in sending him plenty of love. The Steelers were also kind enough to get messages from both current and former teammates of Big Ben’s. If Steelers fans weren’t emotional before, they certainly will be after watching the clip below.

Steelers fans will cherish the positive messages sent in for Ben Roethlisberger

That video is loaded with Steelers greats, including former superstar pass-rusher James Harrison. Harrison didn’t mince words and made it clear the next stop for Roethlisberger is the Hall of Fame down the road.

It’s hard to argue with that, as Roethlisberger ended his playing days with 64,088 passing yards and 418 touchdowns, which are both fifth on the all-time list. While suiting up for Pittsburgh, he powered the team to three Super Bowls, winning two of them.

It looked like Roethlisberger was going to hang up his cleats last offseason, but he decided to run things back for one more go with the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin. Against all odds late in the campaign, the Steelers were able to sneak into the playoffs with an AFC Wild Card spot.

The Super Bowl dreams ended in Kansas City, though, with the Chiefs quickly knocking the Steelers out of the postseason. From that moment, people were waiting for Roethlisberger’s announcement. He’s made things official and it will now be on the front office to try and find his replacement. Trust us, those are some massive shoes to fill, as Roethlisberger is one of a kind.