Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger calls time on ‘exhilarating’ 18-season NFL career

Two-time Tremendous Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger has introduced his retirement from the NFL.

The quarterback, who performed the whole lot of his 18-season profession with the Pittsburgh Steelers, confirmed the information in a video posted to Twitter on Thursday.

A message from Ben:@steelers#NFL#SteelersNation#ThankYou#HereWeGo#LoveAndHonorpic.twitter.com/pUbKGO1nUs

— BigBen7.com (@_BigBen7) January 27, 2022

“The journey has been exhilarating, fueled by a spirit of competitors,” Roethlisberger mentioned. “But the time has come to scrub out my locker, hold up my cleats and proceed to be all I could be to my spouse and kids. I retire from soccer a very grateful man.”

The 39-year-old’s retirement comes as no shock and he had all however confirmed in current weeks that the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs earlier this month could be his ultimate sport.

At 6ft 5in and 240lbs, Roethlisberger was robust to deliver down for opposing rushers, and he was usually capable of lengthen performs till he might discover open receivers together with his highly effective arm. He received Tremendous Bowls XL and XLIII with the Steelers and was named to the Professional Bowl on six events. He's nearly sure to make the Corridor of Fame and finishes his profession with the fifth-most passing yards (64,088) in NFL historical past.

“Ben has at all times been a fighter,” team-mate Cam Heyward mentioned. “All the time given us an opportunity. He’s battled loads. He’s been rewarded with two Tremendous Bowls, however we would have liked each little bit of Ben Roethlisberger in each sport he’s performed. You possibly can’t simply replicate that.”

Though he was good on the sphere his early profession was marred by separate accusations of sexual assault in 2009 and 2010. A civil case filed in opposition to him stemming from an alleged incident at Lake Tahoe in 2009 was settled out of courtroom. A lady in Georgia alleged he assaulted her at a bar in March 2010 however prosecutors didn't formally cost him.

That prompted a suspension beneath the NFL’s private conduct coverage for the beginning of the 2010 season, which ended with Roethlisberger main the Steelers to the Tremendous Bowl for a 3rd time, a loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

Remarkably, the Steelers by no means skilled a shedding season an any of Roethlisberger’s practically twenty years beneath middle.