Ben Roethlisberger officially retired Thursday. The two-time Super Bowl winner was an instrumental piece of a Pittsburgh Steelers team that hasn’t had a losing record since 2003.
His departure leaves a massive question mark behind center, but it’s not unexpected. Hell, it may even make the Steelers a little better in 2022. Roethlisberger’s final season saw Pittsburgh make the playoffs in spite of his waning arm strength and worst season, statistically, since 2008. A cache of talented pass catchers wasn’t enough to elevate that offense into the top 20 when it came to either scoring, yardage or overall DVOA.
The Steelers’ problem now isn’t just finding a replacement. Any assets devoted to securing a new QB1 will come at the expense of badly-needed upgrades along the offensive line. Whomever starts in 2022 will have to deal with a group that allowed Roethlisberger’s sack rate to nearly triple between 2020 and 2021. His 2.1 seconds of pocket time per pass were the lowest in the league last season, ultimately handicapping his downfield passing game.
That leaves a big on-field legacy to fill and an uncomfortable situation for whomever winds up his successor. There are a few names head coach Mike Tomlin could turn to in order to lead a dawning new era in the Steel City. Here are the candidates he’ll thumb through this offseason.
