Already, there are plenty of good reasons for the Steelers to not match the one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet signed by receiver Emmanuel Sanders with the Patriots.
Here’s another: Ben Roethlisberger wants the Steelers to match.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Roethlisberger has been lobbying coach Mike Tomlin and members of the coaching staff to keep Sanders. That’s fine, but Roethlisberger isn’t the General Manager, or anyone else in a position of influence when it comes to personnel.
Roethlisberger had lobbied for a tall receiver for years, pissing off in the process vertically-challenged (but highly skilled) pass catchers like Hines Ward. (The Steelers eventually burned a second-round pick Limas Sweed, who was long on body but short on talent.)
Roethlisberger also wanted to keep offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, whom the Steelers “retired” in 2012. Arians became the offensive coordinator in Indy, the interim head coach when Chuck Pagano was undergoing cancer treatments, and ultimately the 2012 Associated Press coach of the year.
Then again, maybe the Steelers should listen to everything Roethlisberger suggests.