Steelers teammate claims Ben Roethlisberger wants to play three more years
The last few years have been turbulent to stay the least for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite having arguably the most talented roster on the offensive side of the football with three legitimate superstars at skill positions, the Steelers have been continuously shrouded in controversy and uncertainty regarding what the future holds.
At the core of the uncertainty is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and how much longer he wants to play in the NFL. Before the 2017 season, Roethlisberger flirted with the idea of retirement. The two-time Super Bowl champion seemed to have had enough of the game and was ready to spend time with his family, but after this season came to an end with a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, he’s ready for more.
Although Roethlisberger only assured he’d be back for next season, it appears he wants to play well beyond that. His teammate Maurkice Pouncey said the following, via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
M. Pouncey confirms B. Roethlisberger "told us three years" left of playing. "He says he wants to play out his contract so we’ll see.” Rothlisberger has two yrs left on deal, would need new one to play 3 — “even better, b/c I’ve only got two years left on mine," Pouncey said
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 26, 2018
This is a surprising development considering how close Roethlisberger was to walking away from the game before this season. The Steelers seemed to be preparing for a change at quarterback as a result, but then obviously stuck with their longtime leader under center.
The real question now is whether Pittsburgh will want to start addressing the post-Roethlisberger era immediately or wait a little while longer. Landry Jones is the team’s current backup, but it is uncertain whether they have faith in hands the keys over once Roethlisberger is officially done.
At this point, Roethlisberger will still be at the helm of a very talented team with a lot of weapons at his disposal as long as the team can hold onto Le’Veon Bell during the offseason. Pittsburgh will remain a heavyweight in the AFC with odds in their favor to be a Super Bowl contender in 2018.
