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It appears that the Big Ben era in Pittsburgh is coming to an end.
According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Ben Roethlisberger has been telling people close to him that he expects to retire after the conclusion of this season.
Ben Roethlisberger privately has told former teammates and some within the organization that he expects this to be his final season playing quarterback for the Steelers, league sources told ESPN.
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— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 4, 2021
Via ESPN
Roethlisberger has not made any such public proclamations, and likely won’t, as he doesn’t want the latter part of the season to be about him as Pittsburgh prepares to make a playoff push.
But he and those within the organization are now operating as if he is entering the final five games of his Hall-of-Fame career, with two of them fittingly coming against the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh’s opponent Sunday and in the final regular-season game as well.
Roethlisberger has told many that he never would want to play anywhere other than Pittsburgh, where his time is coming to an end. It doesn’t mean he couldn’t surface next season in another NFL city, but that is “highly unlikely,” according to one source.