By Jordan Long
Ben Roethlisberger is set for his last home game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They take on the Cleveland Browns tonight. Roethlisberger could also be playing in the final two games of his career. Nothing is official but he could hang up his cleats for good at the end of the year.
Roethlisberger is in his 18th NFL season all with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh drafted Roethlisberger in the 11th overall in the 2004 NFL draft. He started 13 games that season and went undefeated . Pittsburgh completed a remarkable 15-1 season in 2004. Roethlisberger tossed for 2,621 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was just learning to read NFL defenses forcing some passes into double coverage for interceptions with 11. The Steelers lost in the AFC Championship game to the New England Patriots. In 2005, Pittsburgh finished 11-5 but were a Wild Card team. They ended up advancing to the Super Bowl. They defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 40 21-10. Roethlisberger’s top year was in 2018. He passed for a career high 5,129 yards and 34 touchdowns. He was picked off 16 times.
This season, Roethlisberger is showing he can still play the NFL game at a high level. Entering tonight’s game, Roethlisberger has 3,373 yards passing with 20 touchdowns. He has an impressively low 8 interceptions.
Roethlisberger might decide to retire once the season is over. If that is the case, Roethlisberger could be on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 5 years. Roethlisberger has thrown for 63,721 yards ranking 5th in NFL history. He is 8th in passing touchdowns at 416. He could tie Dan Marino for 4th if he throws 4 touchdowns in the final 2 games. In the regular season Roethlisberger won 163 games, ranking him with the 5th most NFL wins at quarterback in NFL history.
Roethlisberger was voted into 6 Pro Bowls. A player wants to be known as a Super Bowl champion. Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl 40 and 43.
Roethlisberger will face the Cleveland Browns tonight and the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday. Pittsburgh still has slim playoff hopes. They have to win these next two games and hope that the Colts find a way to lose in week 18 to the Jaguars. He is 39 years old, but the time has come for him to walk away from the game.
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