Apparently the retirement rumors surrounding Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger this offseason had some serious legs to them.
Big Ben is 35 years old and has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but it didn’t seem plausible he’d hang up the cleats just yet after another productive year. Rumors persisted, though, and former Pittsburgh offensive lineman Willie Colon told PFT Live it was a serious angle Big Ben considered:
“I got to sit down and talk to him and one thing he told me is he did take it seriously,” Colon said. “He’s dealt with a lot of injuries.”
“He’s passionate about playing, but one thing that keeps his fire going is that offensive line,” Colon said. “You have to worry about the health of Ben Roethlisberger. Can you keep him upright, can he stay healthy for the duration? They have the offensive line, they have the pieces around him to make it work.”
One would think playing alongside Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell would have Big Ben coming back year after year.
It’s interesting, then, to hear he seems to focus more on the offensive line in front of him. The Pittsburgh front office is surely aware of his focus, but as we’ve noted in detail recently, it also has the long-term future behind him in mind.
Given all this, it’s clear Big Ben will once again take a serious look at retirement after this upcoming season, where the main factor will be how his offensive line protected him all year.
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