Ben Roethlisberger was ruled out for the 2019 season on Monday as it was announced he will need surgery on his elbow. There is some thought, however, that the repercussions may be even greater than that.
Roethlisberger is facing a difficult rehab and will be 38 by the time he’s healthy enough to play in an NFL game again. Several reporters wondered if this will prompt the quarterback to think about retirement, including well-respected longtime Steelers reported Ed Bouchette of The Athletic.
This could end Ben’s career https://t.co/LoJOx6VRtb
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) September 16, 2019
It seems fair to wonder if we've seen the last of Big Ben. He's already talked about retirement in the past. This will involve long, arduous rehab. https://t.co/TAvBAjSBgZ
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) September 16, 2019
Roethlisberger openly flirted with retirement following the 2016 season, but it hasn’t really come up again since. Still, opening the door to it once kind of put the thought in everyone’s head. He has cited injuries and quality of life after football as reasons to consider quitting, but this injury is to his elbow, not his head or anything that could severely impact him long-term.
On the other hand, Roethlisberger signed a two-year contract before the season that runs through 2021, indicating that retirement has not been on his mind lately. It’s entirely possible he’ll want to see that out, but the storyline absolutely bears watching.
