Ex-Steeler: Ben Roethlisberger needs to retire to avoid setting team back 2-3 years

A former Pittsburgh Steelers player thinks Ben Roethlisberger should retire and that the quarterback risks setting the franchise back if he doesn’t hang up his cleats.

Ike Taylor played for the Steelers from 2003-2014 and was a longtime teammate of Roethlisberger. The former cornerback thinks the time has come for Big Ben to retire.

“I think [Ben] should shut it down and the reason why I think Ben should shut it down is because he’s done everything he possibly can,” Taylor told TMZ in an interview this month. “I think Ben did everything he could.”

The biggest thing to Taylor is that he feels Roethlisberger returning will set the team back due to delaying their timeframe to develop another quarterback.

“You’re setting them back a year or two or three [with a comeback],” Taylor said. “The reason why I think you’re setting them back is because you’ve seen the progression in Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow — before he got hurt — and Baker Mayfield. So, we’re talking about three young quarterbacks in one division. Who you going to pick last?”

Roethlisberger has acknowledged to the Steelers that he needs to rework his contract to continue with them. His cap hit of over $41 million is just too massive for Pittsburgh. But with Maurkice Pouncey retiring and the Steelers talking tough, the decision won’t be easy for Big Ben.

Taylor, by the way, made similar comments last month too.

H/T CBS Sports