At the end of the 2021 season, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired after 18 terrific seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His resume includes two Super Bowl championships and six Pro Bowl selections, and he became a big part of the Steelers’ storied history.
However, he just revealed that last season, the San Francisco 49ers contacted him to see if he would be interested in coming out of retirement.
Roethlisberger said he considered it, but that he ultimately didn’t want to play for another organization.
Former #Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger says that the #49ers pursued him late last season and he nearly considered a comeback. pic.twitter.com/Lh6jzFLisy
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 21, 2023
Fans seem glad that Roethlisberger said no to the Niners.
Seeing Ben in a different uniform would have been so weird
—HeisenBurgh 🧪 (@TheHeisenburgh) March 21, 2023
why the hell would you want Ben Roethlisberger 😭😭😭😭
— craig #GoBlue (@craig_miwx) March 21, 2023
But these two fans wish Roethlisberger would’ve said yes to San Francisco.
I would take Big Ben on the 49ers
— ★₳Đ₳₥ ₵₳ⱤⱤłⱠⱠØ★ (@AdamC559) March 21, 2023
Would have been better than Josh Johnson
— MARCWITHAC (@MARCWITHAC1112) March 21, 2023
The 49ers suffered an unbelievable rash of injuries in 2022, especially at the QB position.
When the season started, they had promoted second-year man Trey Lance to the starting spot ahead of veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, but Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2, putting Garoppolo back in his familiar QB1 spot.
Then Garoppolo injured his foot in Week 13, forcing rookie Brock Purdy, the last player chosen in the 2022 draft, to man the position.
He did very well and impressed many observers until he tore the UCL in his throwing elbow early in the NFC Championship Game.
Coming out of retirement is always tempting for ex-athletes, but when one has played his entire career for one team, and especially when he has won at least one championship with it, it isn’t easy to then suit up for another one.
It is rare to see a future Hall of Famer such as Roethlisberger play his entire career with one team, especially in a league where Tom Brady and Joe Montana ended their careers by changing squads.
Loyalty is truly a virtue to be honored.
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NFL Fans React To Steelers’ Interest In Reuniting With Former DE
