Ben Roethlisberger’s bitter retirement: ‘My coach and GM don’t want me back’

The bitterness of Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger has nothing to hang his head about after 18 stellar seasons as the Steelers' QB. But Big Ben is clearly still adjusting to a pro football retirement that really wasn't wholly his choice. Hear much more on Roethlisberger's unhappy Steelers retirement in the Steelers Update Podcast, just below. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)AP

Ben Roethlisberger believes he can still play. But instead of ‘un-retiring’ like Tom Brady in Tampa, Roethlisberger knows the Steelers don’t want him back and are moving on without him.

Now, Big Ben must watch as the two QBs vying to replace him -- Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky -- get surrounded by new, speedy receivers and much better blockers than he ‘enjoyed’ in 2021. That’s gotta hurt.

Put yourself in Ben’s Nikes. How would you feel?

I mean, there’s nothing worse than seeing a former significant other getting along just fine without you. No wonder a miffed Ben, who believed he had more to give the Steelers beyond last season, is at the bitterness stage of his recent retirement.

Big Ben had some choice words when asked about the sudden unretirement of the ageless Tom Brady and Tom’s triumphant return to the Tampa Bay Bucs for yet another season. Roethlisberger indicated he was basically unwanted by the Steelers for 2022, telling WDVD radio in Pittsburgh: “First off, my coach and GM don’t want me back.” Ouch!

Then came the cryptic report by the dean of Steelers’ beat writers, Gerry Dulac, who’s wired into the team like no one else. Dulac was doing an online fan chat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette when someone asked about “bad blood” between Ben and the Steelers.

Replied Dulac: “I would say it’s very very safe to assume that.”

So, yeah, big Ben is in a bad mood right about now. With Steelers’ OTAs set to begin next week, it heralds he start of the 2022 season in earnest for Steelers’ veterans. That’s the exclusive club to which Roethlisberger not only belonged, but led. Now, he’s on the outside looking in.

Making matters worse, the Steelers didn’t waste a moment to anoint, not one, but two possible heir-apparents in Pittsburgh. First, they signed former No. 2 overall draft pick Mitch Trubisky to an incentive-laden free agency deal. Then, the Steelers drafted popular Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett to remain in Pittsburgh as the Steelers’ future franchise QB.

Steelers Nation, which loved Roethlisberger, is now cheering for two other quarterbacks picked to replace him. That has to be hard to take. Even harder to watch.

The Big Ben indignities don’t stop there. The Steelers have since reinforced an offensive line that was a sieve last season, leaving Roethlisberger little time to dump the ball before he, himself, was dumped by defenders. Then, the team added a duel receiving threat in the draft that should open up the Steelers’ passing game deep down field.

The Steelers’ splash plays are back just as Roethlisberger is splashing down on his sofa.

Indeed, the 2022 Steelers’ offense could be downright loaded. Big Ben can’t help but look at all the improvements and upgrades and think he could have thrived one more year under center.

Surrounded this new Steelers crew, Big Ben clearly believes he could strike seven in the end zone with the regularity of a clock. No wonder Roethlisberger sounds a bit bitter these days.

We have much more on the 2022 state of the Steelers in this transition edition of your Steelers Update Podcast. (Column continues below)

NOTE: New episodes of the Steelers Update are available every Wednesday afternoon on PennLive.com and wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

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By Ben’s own admission, he’s home in Pittsburgh packing school lunches and ferrying his three children back-and-forth to school. He even calls himself the bus driver.

But Roethlisberger is the quarterback who once played with “The Bus.” How far he has fallen. At least in Ben’s own mind.

Speaking of the Bus, congrats to the grad:

Meanwhile, he’s watching as Brady comes back for one last savoring season. Then, the man with the Super Model wife and seven Super Bowls will slide behind a Fox Sports microphone and make a cool $375 million over the next decade.

With a problematic personal story, Roethlisberger received no such broadcasting offers at even a fraction of the pay.

Question:

Answer: I’m thinking Ben would pick the career that’s still continuing.

Yet, Big Ben will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in five short years. He’s a Steeler for life, now.

No, he won’t be trotting out of the tunnel, last to be announced, amid a cacophony of cheers raining down on high from Heinz Field. But No. 7 will remain No. 1 in many a Steeler fans’ hearts for years, even decades, to come.

It will take a long time and lots of doing for any of Roethlisberger’s replacements to supplant Ben’s lasting legacy in the Steel City any time soon.

Perhaps, a real long way:

The heat is on:

Losing season alert:

But if Kenny Pickett gets even more weapons, who knows?

And damn, he does look good in black and gold:

Perfect Pittsburgh Pic:

Poetry in motion:

That’s the thing about greatness. That’s the thing about two Super Bowl rings. In the City of Champions, where excellence is exalted above all else, true greatness is honored, revered and remembered -- forever.

Ben has yet to find his peace and his place in retirement. He’s yet to savor all the Steelers fans’ goodwill, reverence and respect that will be flowing his way for years to come.

He needn’t worry. Pittsburgh never forgets its champions. For 18 years, Ben Roethlisberger was among the top echelon ever to play in the 412 area code.

That’s a hell of an accomplishment, even if Big Ben can’t fully comprehend the enormity of what he’s achieved just yet.

It’s only human to feel a bit empty, discarded and left behind as Roethlisberger watches his beloved Steelers turn the page to 2022 and look toward the future.

Just give the newly retired quarterback nicknamed after a British clock some time to come around.

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John Luciew is an award-winning reporter for PennLive and a 25-year Steelers season ticket-holder. His column and podcast are presented from the obsessively over-informed perspective of an avid Steelers’ fan. Check out his latest Steelers podcast every Wednesday afternoon wherever podcasts are found.

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