After 18 seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has officially retired. He announced the news on Thursday morning.
Shortly after, teammates of his past and most recent seasons took to social media to celebrate his career. Notably, star outside linebacker TJ Watt tweeted “Legend” in reference to his longtime teammate.
Legend. https://t.co/fVlzGKoozA
— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) January 27, 2022
This high praise means a lot coming from another extremely talented player. The two have proven time and time again that they have nothing but respect for one another. In December, Roethlisberger said that Watt deserved MVP votes and the title of Defensive Player of the Year. The veteran quarterback even took a pay cut in order for Watt to stay with the Steelers and get paid “whatever the heck he wants.” The two have been teammates for five years since Watt was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017.
As successful as Watt is, he doesn't throw around the term “legend” for just anybody. His praise was certainly warranted. Roethlisberger, a six-time Pro Bowler, was a major part of the Steelers' success over the past 18 years. He led the team to two Super Bowl titles during his reign.
Roethlisberger holds the Steelers' all-time records for career and single-season completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. In the NFL, Roethlisberger is fifth in all-time passing yards, eighth in all-time passing touchdowns, and fifth all-time in quarterback career wins.
There's no doubt that both Roethlisberger and Watt will go down in Steelers and NFL history.
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