PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger’s NFL profession is over.
The longtime Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback introduced his retirement on Thursday, pronouncing it used to be “time to wash out my locker, hold up my cleats” after 18 years, two Tremendous Bowls, numerous workforce data and a place within the Corridor of Popularity all however protected.
“I don’t know the way to place into phrases what the sport of soccer has supposed to me and what a blessing it’s been,” Roethlisberger, 39, mentioned in a video message. “However I do know with self assurance I’ve given my all to the sport, I’m beaten with gratitude for what it has given me.”
The much-anticipated choice got here not up to two weeks after Pittsburgh’s lopsided loss to Kansas Town within the first spherical of the postseason, the twelfth time in Roethlisberger’s profession the Steelers reached the playoffs.
He hinted ahead of his ultimate recreation at Heinz Box that it used to be time for him to transport on and spend extra time along with his spouse, Ashley, and their 3 kids and made it some extent to embody the instant following a Monday night time win over the Browns on Jan. 3, doing a victory lap of varieties ahead of disappearing down the tunnel surrounded by way of his circle of relatives.
Roethlisberger known as the adventure from a child rising up in Ohio to the eleventh total select within the 2004 draft to a most probably long term Corridor of Famer “exhilarating,” however he added he’s retiring “a really thankful guy.”
Person who leaves in the back of a legacy of successful. The Steelers by no means persisted a shedding season throughout Roethlisberger’s tenure and captured Tremendous Bowls 40 and 46 — the latter approaching a now-iconic landing move over the outstretched palms of 3 Arizona defenders to Santonio Holmes within the again nook of the top zone.
“Striking that jersey on each and every Sunday with my brothers, will all the time be one of the vital biggest joys of my existence,” he mentioned.
Roethlisberger’s non-public adventure, not like his skilled one, used to be extra sophisticated. He wasn’t dressed in a helmet when broke his jaw and his nostril i n a bike crash in 2006 in a while after changing into the youngest quarterback ever to win a Tremendous Bowl.
He used to be two times accused of sexual attack, as soon as in 2009 and once more in 2010. A civil case filed in opposition to him stemming from an alleged incident at Lake Tahoe in 2009 used to be settled out of courtroom. A girl in Georgia alleged he assaulted her at a bar in March 2010 however prosecutors didn’t officially price him.
The NFL suspended him for the beginning of the 2010 season for violating the league’s non-public behavior coverage. He returned to steer the Steelers to the Tremendous Bowl, a loss to Inexperienced Bay.
The second one part of his profession hinted at his evolution each as a participant and as an individual. Recognized extra for his rugged “Ben being Ben” method to the sport throughout his 20s, he morphed into one of the vital league’s premier passes in his 30s. He two times led the league in yards passing and retires within the all-time most sensible 10 in yards passing and landing passes.