It should come as no surprise to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, that his former center, Maurkice Pouncey, wants to retire. Based on the conversation they shared after the embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns, Pouncey was already determined.
Shortly after the game, reports emerged that Pouncey was, in fact, planning to retire. It’s just that Big Ben doesn’t want him to hang up yet, and the center hasn’t made an announcement yet. What he seems to be holding is Roethlisberger. Per Gerry Dulac from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it is important for Ben that Maurkice be a Steeler in 2021.
Roethlisberger is not wrong for wanting Pouncey to have his back – uh, his front. The relationship between defender and center on and off the field is critical to the success of the attack, and Ben has known and trusted Pouncey for more than a decade.
But Pittsburgh needs the absolute best players they can in the next season, if they hope to have another chance in the ring while Roethlisberger is still in charge. Pouncey’s last two seasons don’t scream “absolute best”. It was one of the best centers in the league at its peak, but its production dropped significantly between pre-2019 and the following years. The NFL is all about what you’ve been doing for me lately, and with Maurkice, that’s not enough. If Pouncey returns to the Steelers because of Big Ben and not for himself, it could be a disaster.
Choose a solid rookie center in the first round, as the Steelers did with Pouncey in 2010, and continue the youth movement along the line that started with point guard Kevin Dotson. The restructuring of the O line will be at least a two-draft process – it may well start now.
And it can be said that once the “r-word” is said, it is difficult not to be mentally verified. Pouncey has been verified for a while now. If your heart is not that, as your production has shown, it is better for the Steelers to stop. Roethlisberger will just have to deal with it – which may not be very nice.