Tom Brady almost had company in the unretired quarterback category last year.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told Mark Madden of 105.9 The X on Tuesday that Roethlisberger was in conversations with the 49ers during the 2022 season.
The 49ers lost starter Trey Lance in Week Two. Later in the year, Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a foot injury. In lieu of adding a veteran, the 49ers relied on rookie Brock Purdy.
“They were, I think, reaching out maybe just to gauge my interest,” Roethlisberger told Madden, via SteelersNow.com. “I had discussions. . . . I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was a small part of me that was intrigued. I could still do it and prove to people that I could still play. At the end of the day, I just can’t see myself in anything other than black and gold.”
It would have made for an interesting stretch run, if Roethlisberger had played well and stayed healthy. But for Brock Purdy’s elbow injury early in the NFC Championship, the 49ers may have landed in the Super Bowl.