USA TODAY Sports
The red eyes and wet cheeks of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said a lot about his future. His decision to stay on the bench for a long time after the game ended said a lot about his future. When he met with the media via videoconference after the Sunday night playoff loss to the Browns, Roethlisberger didn’t say much about his future.
“Well, it will start between me and God,” said Roethlisberger of the impending decision to continue playing. “A lot of prayer. And then, you know, talking a lot with my family, discussions, decisions. And, you know, I still have a year left on my contract. I hope the Steelers want me back, if that’s our way. There will be many discussions, but now is not the time for that. “
The reference to having a year left on his contract and the Steelers wanting it back was probably not an accident. Roethlisberger received $ 12.5 million that he has not yet won; if he retires, the Steelers have the right to ask for everything back. If they cut him, he owes nothing.
“I hope the Steelers want me back,” he said. Its maximum number of $ 41.25 million becomes official on March 17, at a time when the team’s total spending limit can be as low as $ 175 million. If they want him back, they need him to sign an extension that kicks the cap for a future year.
What if he says, “I’m just going to fulfill my contract”? Steelers may have to release it in order to cut its maximum cost by $ 19 million. And then he became a free agent, able to sign on with a new team if he wanted to.
It is impossible to imagine Roethlisberger in any other uniform. Just as it was impossible to imagine Tom Brady or Peyton Manning or Brett Favre or Philip Rivers in any other uniform. Maybe Ben decides that he wants to continue playing, but that he wants a new start.
These are the options: (1) retire; (2) playing; (3) force a release to avoid a $ 12.5 million debt and retire; or (4) force a release and sign with another team.
It’s a story that will hang over the team and the league for the next two months. And if the Steelers end up moving on, they better have a solid retreat plan in place or they can be left in the dust by AFC North, given that the division has famous quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow.