Steelers President Commits to Bringing Roethlisberger Back For 2021 Season

Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II has announced the team is committed to bringing back veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for the 2021 season, albeit under a restructured contract. The 38-year-old’s future with the organization was in doubt after a year of mixed form and a salary cap of $41.2 million in 2021.

With rumors regarding Roethlisberger’s future in the league flying around since the end of the season, the announcement comes a day after Rooney met with the signal caller to work out a plan for 2021 and beyond.

“Ben Roethlisberger and I met yesterday morning and we had a productive meeting. We were able to discuss a lot of things that relate to where we are and where we want to go,” Steelers president Art Rooney said in a statement posted on Burt Lauten’s Twitter.

“Ben assured me that he is committed to coming back to help us win, and I told Ben that we would like to have him back to help us win a championship. We both understand that the next step is to work out Ben’s contract situation.”

The agent for Roethlisberger echoed Rooney’s sentiments, maintaining that both sides are pushing for the same goal and are willing to restructure the player’s contract.

“They want Ben back and will contact me soon to address the cap situation,” Ryan Tollner told NFL Network.

“As we’ve shared since the season ended, we are happy to creatively adjust his contract to help them build the best team possible.”

Roethlisberger, who turns 39 next week, threw for 3,803 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 15 regular season games last season, going 11 games unbeaten to start the season before entering the playoffs in dismal form.

The Steelers would go on to lose in humiliating fashion to AFC North rivals the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round.

Former Miami University player Roethlisberger has thrown for 60,348 yards with 396 touchdowns and 201 interceptions in 233 career games since Pittsburgh selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft, leading the AFC powerhouse to Super Bowl wins after the 2005 and 2008 seasons.

NFL Network reported this week that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is currently operating away from team facilities after being diagnosed with Covid-19. The franchise was unable to confirm the news but did say that coaches, including Tomlin, and other personnel were sent home last week after a couple of positive cases were found.

“I want to thank everyone who reached out to express their concern for my health,” Tomlin wrote on Twitter. “Luckily I have had minimal symptoms and I’m thankful to be in good health. I want to thank those media professionals who knew about my situation and respected my privacy. It is very much appreciated.

“I’ll be back in the office soon while I continue to work virtually from home. Thanks for your support and well wishes!”

Tomlin, who turns 49 next month, is coming off his 14th season as Steelers head coach, having never had a losing season and making the playoffs nine times. One of those postseason visits was a Super Bowl run following the 2008 season, with Roethlisberger under centre.

In further Steelers news, impending free agent JuJu Smith-Schuster has expressed a desire to stay in Pittsburgh, even suggesting he would like to retire playing his home games at Heinz Field. It is yet to be seen if the Steelers intend to offer Smith-Schuster a long-term deal, tag him or allow him to leave.

“Until I actually get let go, other than that, I’m Pittsburgh for life,” Smith-Schuster told TMZ.

“To be home close to family would be cool, but at the end of the day, I want to have my legacy in Pittsburgh and retire there. I don’t want to leave.”

The Steelers are struggling with their cap situation and with quarterback Roethlisberger already having to restructure his contract, it is looking unlikely that they will be able to retain the majority of their key players.

Smith-Schuster, 24, is eligible to be given the franchise tag but the Steelers must ensure that they are under the operating threshold of the projected $180m salary cap for 2021.

Tagging Smith-Schuster would cost the Steelers at least $16 million in cap space, based on projections the NFL uses for position-specific tags. The deadline to franchise tag a player is March 9, just over a week before the official start of free agency on March 17.

It is unlikely that the Steelers will be in a position to offer the long-term, guaranteed contract that Smith-Schuster is surely looking for, and the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions are rumored to have already expressed interest in the wide receiver.

It is also possible that the Steelers will use the franchise tag as a trade tool, signing Smith-Schuster on a one-year deal before shipping him off elsewhere for draft capital.