Update:
Steelers owner Art Rooney II confirmed in a statement Wednesday that they plan to have QB Ben Roethlisberger back for the 2021 season.
Statement from #Steelers President Art Rooney II on QB Ben Roethlisberger: pic.twitter.com/mB0CwkmrCh
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) February 24, 2021
Ben Roethlisberger‘s agent, Ryan Tollner, tells Aditi Kinkhabwala that he will be back with the Steelers in 2021 and they plan to adjust his contract to make it work.
Ben Roethlisberger will indeed be back as the #Steelers starting QB this fall. Just connected w/ the two-time Super Bowl winner’s agent, Ryan Tollner, who said this: pic.twitter.com/YnWRWwkbeM
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) February 23, 2021
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger had a meeting with owner Art Rooney that sources say “went well.”
Last week, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert didn’t commit to Roethlisberger being back with the team in 2021.
“As we sit here today, Ben is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” he said via Brooke Pryor. “… He reiterated to us that he wants to continue to play. We told him we have to look at this current situation.”
“Ben Roethlisberger did a lot of really good things last year. We anticipate that he could still do really good things going forward. Hopefully we can figure out how to do what’s best for the organization and for Ben. Hopefully he’ll be able to see that.”
Colbert did, however, add that Roethlisberger reiterated to him and owner Art Rooney that he wanted to play in 2021.
Colbert also alluded to Roethlisberger aging and potentially not being as effective in 2021, telling Pryor: “Can he still do some special things? Absolutely. Did he do that to his expectations? He would tell you no.”
Roethlisberger told Ed Bouchette a few weeks ago that agreeing to a restructured contract for 2021 shouldn’t be an issue for the two sides.
Roethlisberger says “I don’t care bout my pay at all this year!” and added to Bouchette:
“I want to do everything I can and made that very clear to them from the very beginning that it was my idea to basically help the team however I can this year.”
Roethlisberger, 38, is a former first-round pick of the Steelers back in 2004. He finalized a three-year, $68 million contract last offseason that included a $37.5 million signing bonus.
Roethlisberger is owed $19 million for the 2021 season.
In 2020, Roethlisberger appeared in 15 games for the Steelers and completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
Well this is disappointing
Might be in for a long season in 2021 as a steeler fan. The best thing he could do for the team is retire and let them get the roster competitive again.
The last time I checked our 2020 season stats the steelers finished 12-4 and the defense led the NFL in sacks. My thought is that the team has been competitive for quite some time. If they had not started so terribly against the Browns and become so one dimensional they could have gone further in the playoffs. The OL being banged up did not help either. There best chance to win now with this defense is with Ben and a new OC in Matt Canada. Mason is unproven and it will take him time and experience in order for steelers fans and coaches to know if he is the next future starting QB for the steelers. Keep the faith Miachael.