Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger gave an interesting answer on Tuesday to a question about how much longer he thinks he will be playing in the NFL.
During an appearance on “The Cook and Poni Show” on 93.7 The Fan, Roethlisberger said he didn’t know how much longer he’d be playing and stopped short of confirming that he would be returning for the 2017 season.
“I’m going to take this offseason to evaluate, to consider all options,” Roethlisberger said. “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 was asked a follow up to confirm that he was considering not playing anymore which drew a laugh and a repeat of his feeling that it was prudent to evaluate. He said he wants to walk away from his career rather than get carted off and said “head injuries are always a big thing” when discussing some of the things he’d be considering.
Roethlisberger is signed for three more years under an extension signed in 2015 that came with a $31 million signing bonus. Retiring could lead him to pay back some of that bonus while also foregoing $46 million in salary and bonus as well as escalators in the final two years that could lead to a higher payout.
Those are plenty of reasons to keep playing and a tough loss to the Patriots may be coloring his thoughts, but Roethlisberger says, for now, that he’s not sure of anything.