Why is Ben Roethlisberger "done"? Is it just me?

[Lonbull]

I've had several friends (Both Steeler fans and Non-Steeler Fans) tell me things like - Ben has looked horrible this year, Time for him to retire......and the Media seems to be running the same "story-line".

AND I'm the first one to acknowledge that he certainly doesn't look like the player he was 5 or 6 years ago --- but.....

Ryan Tannehill
Comp: 357
Att: 531
Comp %: 67.2
Yards: 3734
TD: 21
Int: 14

Ben Roethlisberger
Comp: 390
Att: 605
Comp %: 64.5
Yards: 3740
TD: 22
INT: 10

If people are telling me we can't WIN with Ben Roethlisberger with these "kinds" of numbers - I completely disagree - the Titans have the #1 Seed with very similar numbers at QB.

The Steelers and Titans seem to be building very similar team models. Heavy Run Game (with an Alabama Beast) -- and limited controlled passing, and both organizations are using the 3-4.....so much so that one of our Star OLB moved to them in Free Agency.

**Personally - I feel that the change in Offensive Coordinator, and a Freshmen Team (Basically 4 Rookies in Key Positions), and the loss of Juju have contributed quite a bit to the lack luster offensive numbers.....enough of a contribution that I'm not sure the Ben of 5 or 6 years ago would have done significantly better with the same surrounding talent.

Something doesn't seem "right" to me about this.......

Is he looking for someone to ask him "not" to retire --- I want to say the Steelers convinced Jerome Bettis to return......for that one last run.

Maybe the Steelers are looking to clean house -- and basically told him they were moving on from his contract at the end of the 21-22 Season.....whether he wanted to "retire" or not --- in short he's getting cut whenever it is best for the Steelers financially -- but have offered him the opportunity to save some face.

Maybe Ben is in a position where if he wants to continue playing he'd have to start somewhere new.....and it isn't so much wanting to retire, as it is not wanting to start somewhere new?

As I wrote -- something doesn't seem quite right about this. ....then again maybe I'm the one who simply can't see the forest because of the trees .

I always imagined that Ben would announce before a Season started that "This" was his farewell tour......I'm just a little surprised it ended this way....*IF it is ending this way.

L.B.

[hawaiiansteel]

this is Ben's last season.

I love Ben and what he has done and meant to this franchise, but his skills will only continue to diminish.

Ben is making the correct decision to retire after this season's end.

[feltdizz]

Nah, its been 18 years.

The Cleveland game sure looked like it was his last game at Heinz. I’m sure we will hear rumors about him coming back.

The real question is if covid is still around next season and he gets a call. Will Ben say no when the phone rings?

[T.Ferguson]

I think he can definitely play just not at the level in his prime of course but yeah like he'll still be better than MR next season for example. I sort of got the vibe at the end of the Browns game that Ben actually didn't want to retire, it was weird but that he's being pushed out, partly because the team just isn't good and it's time for the next chapter, etc.

[Flasteel]

I've had several friends (Both Steeler fans and Non-Steeler Fans) tell me things like - Ben has looked horrible this year, Time for him to retire......and the Media seems to be running the same "story-line".

AND I'm the first one to acknowledge that he certainly doesn't look like the player he was 5 or 6 years ago --- but.....

Ryan Tannehill
Comp: 357
Att: 531
Comp %: 67.2
Yards: 3734
TD: 21
Int: 14

Ben Roethlisberger
Comp: 390
Att: 605
Comp %: 64.5
Yards: 3740
TD: 22
INT: 10

If people are telling me we can't WIN with Ben Roethlisberger with these "kinds" of numbers - I completely disagree - the Titans have the #1 Seed with very similar numbers at QB.

The Steelers and Titans seem to be building very similar team models. Heavy Run Game (with an Alabama Beast) -- and limited controlled passing, and both organizations are using the 3-4.....so much so that one of our Star OLB moved to them in Free Agency.

**Personally - I feel that the change in Offensive Coordinator, and a Freshmen Team (Basically 4 Rookies in Key Positions), and the loss of Juju have contributed quite a bit to the lack luster offensive numbers.....enough of a contribution that I'm not sure the Ben of 5 or 6 years ago would have done significantly better with the same surrounding talent.

Something doesn't seem "right" to me about this.......

Is he looking for someone to ask him "not" to retire --- I want to say the Steelers convinced Jerome Bettis to return......for that one last run.

Maybe the Steelers are looking to clean house -- and basically told him they were moving on from his contract at the end of the 21-22 Season.....whether he wanted to "retire" or not --- in short he's getting cut whenever it is best for the Steelers financially -- but have offered him the opportunity to save some face.

Maybe Ben is in a position where if he wants to continue playing he'd have to start somewhere new.....and it isn't so much wanting to retire, as it is not wanting to start somewhere new?

As I wrote -- something doesn't seem quite right about this. ....then again maybe I'm the one who simply can't see the forest because of the trees .

I always imagined that Ben would announce before a Season started that "This" was his farewell tour......I'm just a little surprised it ended this way....*IF it is ending this way.

L.B.

You're not alone in wanting Ben to return next year Lonbull. I've been saying for several weeks that I would be all about him coming back behind an improved line. I find myself getting irritated by this ridiculous narrative that Ben's arm is shot or that he is some shell of his former self. There's a lot of posters on this site who parrot that same tired line. I haven't read any responses in this thread yet, but I'd be willing to bet that someone is trying to push that BS here. I point to not only his stats, the play-calling, and poor offensive line play, but also those incredible 4th quarter comebacks. He made unbelievable clutch throws in so many of those games and basically willed this team to victory. He's had more 4th quarter comebacks this year than any other year of his career. It seems pretty evident that Ben's mobility isn't was it once was. Beyond that, I see no regression in any aspect of his game. I see a quarterback with a chain around his neck for 3 quarters, who is trying to get rid of the ball as quickly as he can to avoid getting hammered. I see no better option at QB for the Steelers in '22 than Number 7.

But I don't see how he comes back after his little farewell tour these past few weeks. It likely won't result in a fairy tale Super Bowl ending (a la Bettis) but there is still something kind of magical and fitting about it. I think a lot of folks are feeling that same vibe and it's even causing some to predict a Steeler upset of the Chiefs.

[hackjam]

Laying out stats like this can never tell the full story. Look at 2008. Chad Pennington, David Garrard, and Matt Cassell had better stats than Ben by like every single measure and Jake Delhomme's stats were pretty much a mirror image of Ben's. You want any of those other guys on that last drive in the Super Bowl?

Regarding Tannehill specifically, he also had 55 runs for 270 yards, 7 TD, and 33 first downs so that's part of it.

And when's the last time Ben made a play like this?



Don't get me wrong, I love Ben as a QB, I've greatly enjoyed growing up with him being the QB of my favorite team, but there is no doubt that it is time.

[hackjam]

You're not alone in wanting Ben to return next year Lonbull. I've been saying for several weeks that I would be all about him coming back behind an improved line. I find myself getting irritated by this ridiculous narrative that Ben's arm is shot or that he is some shell of his former self. There's a lot of posters on this site who parrot that same tired line. I haven't read any responses in this thread yet, but I'd be willing to bet that someone is trying to push that BS here. I point to not only his stats, the play-calling, and poor offensive line play, but also those incredible 4th quarter comebacks. He made unbelievable clutch throws in so many of those games and basically willed this team to victory. He's had more 4th quarter comebacks this year than any other year of his career. It seems pretty evident that Ben's mobility isn't was it once was. Beyond that, I see no regression in any aspect of his game. I see a quarterback with a chain around his neck for 3 quarters, who is trying to get rid of the ball as quickly as he can to avoid getting hammered. I see no better option at QB for the Steelers in '22 than Number 7.

But I don't see how he comes back after his little farewell tour these past few weeks. It likely won't result in a fairy tale Super Bowl ending (a la Bettis) but there is still something kind of magical and fitting about it. I think a lot of folks are feeling that same vibe and it's even causing some to predict a Steeler upset of the Chiefs.

No regression? Come on... Watch this and tell me there's no regression.



Granted, that may be the single greatest game Ben played in his career but the thought that there's no regression is asinine.

There's a throw to Lance Moore in that video, about 1:15 in. Ben doesn't make that throw today.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Lonbull, I agree that from a skill standpoint he is not yet done. I've been saying all year that you can't judge anything else in this offense behind that horrible line, and Ben is playing for self preservation. The fact remains that he has put up similar numbers to Tannehill despite playing behind a much worse OL, not having the best pure runner in the game, and not having AJ Brown. Put Ben in Tennessee and they are SB favorites. Steeler fans have been so spoiled for years that when they see a decline from great QB play they automatically believe the QB is a bottom of the league scrub.

However, I do believe that the organization is ready to move on and would love for him to ride off into the sunset, and that they would have preferred that to happen after last season. I believe that Ben knew this, which is why he announced that he would take a pay cut - not a restructure but an actual pay cut. The team's hands were tied as they could not force the franchises greatest QB (arguably) out the door after he said he said he would actually play for less money. There is no contract beyond this year and the FO knows that they are not in position to realistically compete for a SB in '22. They will continue to stock this team with young players and draft picks. They will pick up guys like Haskins and Adams on the cheap to see if they can contribute. If not then little risk. Draft well, maybe next year draft high, and turn things aroun without having to go through a full rebuild. When the time and player is right, they will draft the QB of the future.

[flippy]

As much as I don’t want it to be so, Ben is done.

Seriously, who can take an 18 year beating like he has? Even players that don’t take that pounding don’t last that long.

Clearly he’s hurting. He can’t move very well. You can see him having a hard time between games recovering. He’s dealing with a slew of injuries.

Guys a warrior. But he’s done as much as he can.

And you can tell. He’s afraid to hold on the ball too long. He just can’t move even in the pocket.

And I would recommend going back and watching games early in his career. He could throw darts 50+ yards down the field. Now he’s gotta put some extra air underneath his passes.

He doesn’t trust himself to throw over the middle of the field. He’s limiting his own game at this point.

I think your question should be is he good enough even as a shell of his former self? Maybe there’s something to believe in there. Especially with his 4th Q magic. His 4th Qs look like a HOF QB.

But I say cut the guy some slack. He’s risking his future health for what he’s doing out there now. And he just isn’t what he once was despite what we all still want him to be.

Is he still better than MR. yup. But that’s irrelevant here. We need to find someone better than can take full advantage of this team’s capabilities.

Go watch teams put 10 guys at the LOS on D against us. If Ben still has his arm, no team in their right mind would try that once. But we see if series after series.

You don’t even have to ask fellow posters what they think. Just look at how D’s play us. That tells you everything you need to know imho.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Ben can still play in the NFL. How much would he command based on his current play? Would the lower salary be worth it for Ben?

I think the Steelers want to move on for the benefit of their future. Ben doesn't want to play for another franchise. I believe several Steelers players choose to retire than to play for other teams to simply extend their careers.

I watched Herbert slingging that ball around vs the Raiders and thought damn. Flores was probanly fired in Miami because they took Tua over Herbert. Going with the wrong QB is eventual death sentence for most coaches in the league. It appears Mcvay might be on the chopping block soon. He made not one but two mistakes selecting the wrong QBs.

The Bengals appear to be building a good team around their young QB. The Jags? Feel sorry for him. Going into a bad situation can doom young player's careers.