Predicting each NFL teams starting quarterback on opening day 2019
By Jake Starr
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger
It has seemed that for the past few years, rumors have swirled about Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger contemplating retirement, only to see him return for the following season.
There is no doubt that those rumors will be present once again this offseason, but after a disappointing end to the season for Pittsburgh, it will be hard to envision Roethlisberger walking away on those terms.
Roethlisberger also still has one more year left on his contract, and it is hard to believe that he will walk away and leave $23 million on the table. With next year being the last year of his contract, it would not be surprising to see him step away after next season, but he may want at least another run at capturing his third Super Bowl championship.
If Roethlisberger was to retire, the Steelers don’t have much of a contingency plan in place. They have Josh Dobbs and Mason Rudolph, but neither of them seems to be NFL ready at the moment.
The most realistic expectation is the Roethlisberger plays one more year. With Le’Veon Bell gone and Antonio Brown wanting out, the Steelers window is closing, and if Ben can’t capture a third Lombardi in 2019, then the time may come for him to call it a career.