Since the Pittsburgh Steelers were ousted from the playoffs, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has made it clear that he plans on playing a few more seasons.
According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, team president Art Rooney stated that Roethlisberger has made it clear that he wants to play beyond his two remaining years on his current contract.
Steelers president Art Rooney just spoke to a handful of reports. He said Ben Roethlisberger wants to play beyond his contract, which has 2 years to run, and they will try to figure out a possible extension at some point (not exactly in 2018 though)
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) February 7, 2018
This falls in line with the strong notion that Roethlisberger is aiming to play at least three more seasons in the NFL. It also makes clear that the Steelers will have to work out a new extension for the 35-year-old at some point over the next two offseasons, which should provide a better indication of how much longer he truly wants to play.
Roethlisberger is still playing at a high level finishing fifth this past season with 4,251 passing yards and 28 touchdown passes, 10th with a 64.2 completion rate, and a 93.4 passer rating. This was his fifth season with more than 4,000 passing yards and seventh with more than 25 passing touchdowns. He put that on full display in the divisional round loss to the Jaguars, completing 37-of-58 passes for 469 yards and five touchdown passes against a very tough Jacksonville secondary. In fact, he was the first player in league history to lose a playoff game despite throwing five touchdown passes.
With Roethlisberger still in the fold, it will keep the Super Bowl window open for the next few seasons to build the team around him. This will likely see the front office make a huge push to bring back star running back Le'Veon Bell on the lucrative deal that he has been seeking for the last two offseasons. He has certainly put himself in position to land that type of money given his play on the field and importance to the Steelers' offensive game plan.
For the time being, these latest comments from Rooney put aside any questions concerning Roethlisberger's long-term future in the NFL.
Follow Us
Subscribe