Ben Roethlisberger addressed a report that said he would ask the Pittsburgh Steelers for a trade in the offseason, calling it B.S. and “totally false.”
Following his team’s 23-10 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Roethlisberger was asked about NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport report that he was unhappy with the Steelers’ offense and that we should expect him to ask the team for a trade in the offseason. The report was a bold claim as Roethlisberger has been the Steelers’ franchise quarterback since 2004 and never expressed an interest in leaving the team.
Though Roethlisberger admitted he’s unhappy with the offense when it doesn’t produce — a natural reaction — he says the thought that he would want a trade is “totally false.”
“When it comes to wanting to go somewhere else or anything like that, that’s completely unacceptable. I don’t know where that came from. It’s one of the most B.S. stories I’ve ever heard of. I’ve always said I want to be a Steeler for life,” Roethlisberger said.
“I love it here, I’m happy here and I don’t want to go anywhere. No one in my family, in our camp, agents have ever said anything about this. So wherever this was made up from is totally false.”
Roethlisberger reacted in disgust when he heard the reporter’s question and initially laughed off the suggestion that he wanted out of Pittsburgh before answering with a stern face. Then he doubled down on his comments.
“I don’t want to go anywhere, I love it here. This is family, this is where I want to be and where I’ve always wanted to be. I don’t want to play for anyone else. I want to finish my career here.”
It’s understandable why this report would be upsetting to him. If he does want out, he’d want that to be kept a secret. And if the report is false as he says, of course he’d be mad because it makes him look bad and creates the perception he doesn’t want to be in Pittsburgh.
I feel like Roethlisberger probably isn’t happy with the situation in Pittsburgh, but I don’t think that means he wants out. It seems like they would keep Big Ben and change things around him — such as the players, coaches and system — before getting rid of him. If anything, Roethlisberger might use a trade threat as a power play to get his way, but I don’t really think he would want out.
Helmet smack to Eye on Football
