Ben Roethlisberger made Steelers fans nervous when he left open the possibility of retirement following Pittsburgh’s loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.
But Pittsburgh can rest easy knowing the two-time Super Bowl champion will return next year.
“Informed the team I am looking forward to my 14th season. Steeler nation will get my absolute best,” Roethlisberger wrote Friday in a statement on his website.
Roethlisberger has been the Steelers starting quarterback since his rookie season in 2004, leading Pittsburgh to nine playoff berths and three Super Bowl appearances in that span.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin didn’t seem too concerned that his quarterback would retire, but acknowledged that the team is always preparing for the future.
“I think we’ve been in that mindset for the last several years, that’s what this business tells us to be in,” Tomlin told NFL Network at last month’s owners meetings. “We better start sharpening our sword in terms of evaluation of quarterbacks and what’s available to us or potentially available to us, that’s just due diligence.”
Roethlisberger has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career. He’s missed over a dozen games due to injury and has started all 16 games in a season just once.
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