Ben Roethlisberger may not retire this offseason, but the day that the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback walks away from the NFL is coming, and the team knows it.
Coach Mike Tomlin admitted in an interview with NFL Network’s Judy Battista that the organization has devoted some thought to what will happen when Roethlisberger hangs them up.
“I think we’ve been in that mindset for the last several years, that’s what this business tells us to be in,” Tomlin said, via NFL.com’s Jeremy Bergman. “We better start sharpening our sword in terms of evaluation of quarterbacks and what’s available to us or potentially available to us, that’s just due diligence. So yes, we have.
“I think because of his durability and how he plays, I don’t know that we have that level of urgency, but we are talking ourselves mentally through the process. Not an easy one, obviously, but it is what it is. It’s an element of the business. Guys can’t play forever and he acknowledges that and we acknowledge that.”
Roethlisberger hasn’t actually committed to playing in 2017, though indications are that he will. Big Ben is basically going year-to-year at this point. The Steelers don’t have an heir apparent on the roster, either. It’s probably time to consider how they’ll cope when he’s gone.
