Ben Roethlisberger could be calling it a career at the end of this upcoming NFL season.
According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the longtime Steelers quarterback is considering retirement after what will be his 14th season in the league.
“I’ve been blessed to do this a long time,” Roethlisberger, 35, told Bouchette on Friday. “I think it’s just seeing my kids growing up, and in the offseason I love getting to spend time with them, and then I come here and football season just has to take up so much of your time.
“Even when you get home, I try my best to turn it off when I walk in the front door. I think I do a pretty good job of that, but it still consumes you in a way.”
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to football fans. The quarterback wasn’t shy about discussing his future earlier this off-season, citing health, safety and age as some of the factors in his decision of whether or not to return — and for how long.
Of course, Roethlisberger ultimately decided to take the field for another year, but he took his time weighing his options and determining the best move for him and his family — something he’ll be doing again following the 2017 season.
He also mentioned the recently released CTE study findings among the factors that could impact his decision. The study examined the brains of 202 former football players (those who played at the NFL, CFL, college, and high school level), and found evidence of brain trauma in 177 of them.
“Just all those things combined — being healthy, being able to play catch with my kids,” he said. “I feel good mentally, I know this new study that came out that 90 percent [of NFL] players’ brains who were studied had CTE.”
Roethlisberger first entered the league in 2004, and has taken the Steelers to the Super Bowl three times, winning twice (2005, 2008).
“I feel if I commit to anything past right now, I’m cheating now,” said Roethlisberger. “I’m looking forward to this season, and I’m going to give it everything I have and afterwards we’ll sit down and do some [thinking] again.”
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