PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger made official Thursday morning what he has been indicating for weeks — he is retiring after an 18-year career as one of the greatest players in Steelers history.
Roethlisberger made the announcement via a video message on social media and did not conduct a press conference, preferring to do so without fanfare.
“The time has come to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats and continue to be all I can be to my wife and children,” Roethlisberger said in a video posted on his Twitter account. “I retire from football a truly grateful man.”
The official announcement was in direct contrast to the emotional scene that existed for his final home game at Heinz Field on Jan. 3 — a Monday night victory against the Cleveland Browns. It was the final step to retirement after he had cleaned out his locker at the team’s South Side facility earlier in the week.
Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette several weeks ago his retirement is final and he does not intend to play for another team.
“I don’t know how to put into words what the game of football has meant to me and what a blessing it has been,” said Roethlisberger, who taped the message sitting on his couch with his wife, Ashley, and three children by his side. “I know with confidence I have given my all to the game. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all it has given me.”
As the longest tenured player in franchise history, Roethlisberger, 39, led the Steelers to two Super Bowl titles, eight division titles and 165 regular season victories that rank fifth all-time in NFL history.
The 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Roethlisberger will finish with the most victories of any quarterback who spent his entire career with one team. Only Tom Brady (243), Brett Favre (186), Peyton Manning (186) and Drew Brees (172) — quarterbacks who played with more than one team — have won more games overall.
“To the Rooney family, the (Thomas) Tull family, coach (Mike) Tomlin, coach (Bill) Cowher and all the coaches ... the incredible people at every level that make the Pittsburgh Steelers a special organization, thanks for allowing me to battle with you in pursuit of excellence,” he said.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Cowher called it “an honor to coach Ben” from 2004-06, the quarterback’s first three seasons in the NFL. He said Roethlisberger “truly represents what a Pittsburgh Steeler is” and declared himself “so proud of everything Ben has accomplished.”
“From his rookie season, you knew that you always had a chance to win with Ben as your quarterback,” Cowher added. “He was at his best in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line. He was the guy you could always count on to deliver when it mattered most.”
Roethlisberger will finish fifth all time in yards passing (64,088) and completions (5,440) and eighth in touchdowns (418). His signature, though, will always be his ability to perform in clutch situations. Only Manning (54) had more game-winning drives than Roethlisberger (53), and only Manning (43) and Brady (42) had more fourth-quarter comebacks (41).
But his performance in the postseason is also among the best in history. Roethlisberger’s 13 playoff victories rank seventh and his 5,972 postseason passing yards are third, trailing only Brady and Manning. Only four quarterbacks have more Super Bowl titles, including Terry Bradshaw.
Roethlisberger’s retirement is tinged with some bitterness because he felt as though the Steelers didn’t really want him back after they started a franchise-best 11-0, finished 12-4 and won the AFC North title in 2020. And it began when coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert repeatedly refused to publicly endorse his return. It wasn’t until team president Art Rooney II intervened and decided to bring him back for one final season.
In an August interview with the Post-Gazette about his future, Roethlisberger said, “You’ve got to understand it’s more than just Mr. Rooney. Kevin Colbert has to want you back, and sometimes it doesn’t always feel that way.”
Roethlisberger’s retirement leaves Aaron Rodgers, 38, as the second-oldest starting quarterback in the league, behind Brady.
“Putting that jersey on every Sunday with my brothers will always be one of the greatest joys of my life,” Roethlisberger said. “To Steelers Nation, the best fans in all of sports, thanks for accepting me and supporting me as your quarterback all these years.”
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