The Pittsburgh Steelers recently concluded a late-season collapse with a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. As the game drew to a close, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was seen on the bench looking sad next to center Maurkice Pouncey.
We now know what was said between the two:
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Both Roethlisberger and Pouncey have been leading the Steelers for the past 10 years. Despite not getting to win a Super Bowl together, the two have enjoyed their time on the field for the last decade.
However, the 31-year-old Pouncey might be calling it quits, and Roethlisberger himself is also contemplating hanging up his cleats after finishing his 17th campaign in the league. The two-time Super Bowl champion still has one more season left on his two-year contract signed back in 2019, which leaves a small window for his potential return next season.
If this is the end of this partnership, it's certainly not the way they wanted it to go. Pouncey's botched snap to Roethlisberger in the opening seconds against the Browns was a bad omen and led the Steelers to their downfall. The Browns took advantage of the error and eventually scored 28 unanswered points in the first quarter to grab the 48-37 victory. Roethlisberger threw for over 500 yards, but he also tossed four interceptions to go along with four touchdowns.
Nothing is set in stone just yet for these two men, and we'll have to wait and see what they decide about their respective futures in the days ahead.