Steelers' Mike Tomlin assumes QB Ben Roethlisberger will play in 2017
PHOENIX — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger admitted he was evaluating his professional future a couple of months ago, but his head coach continues to operate under the plan that the team will have its franchise quarterback for the 2017 season.
“I am proceeding with that assumption,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday at the AFC coaches breakfast during the NFL's annual meetings. “He and I have been in continual communication all offseason in the ways that we communicate. It has been business as usual in that regard. I don’t know that there’s a line in the dirt, but I guess we’ll know when we come to it.”
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Roethlisberger just turned 35 and will enter his 14th NFL season provided he does not, in fact, retire. He is coming off of a productive 2016 in which he completed 64.4% of his passes for 3,819 yards, 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Steelers won the AFC North but lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
Shortly after that loss, Roethlisberger indicated that he was reviewing his future plans.
“I’m going to take this offseason to evaluate, to consider all options,” Roethlisberger said in January during a radio appearance at 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. “To consider health, and family and things like that and just kind of take some time away to evaluate next season, if there’s going to be a next season. All those things. I think at this point in my career, at my age, that’s the prudent and smart thing to do every year.”
Roethlisberger, though, has not yet told Tomlin his definitive plans for this season and beyond.
“I haven’t asked,” Tomlin said.
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