Tomlin: 'Reasonable' to assume chance Roethlisberger returns

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has weighed in on whether quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be back next season. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Tomlin: It's 'reasonable' to assume there's chance Ben Roethlisberger returns in 2021

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 1/13/21

After Sunday's 48-37 wild-card loss to the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lingered on the bench shedding tears, making it seem like his time in the NFL could be over.

The 38-year-old, who will turn 39 in March, refused to discuss retirement during his postgame press conference, saying it wasn't the time to do so following an upsetting loss. On Wednesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin provided more clarity on the situation, saying that he wouldn't be pushing the veteran quarterback out the door.

"I don't have a clear assessment of the overall impact of the cap ramifications, so I might not have a direct answer to your question. But I think it's reasonable to assume that there's a chance that he's going to be back, certainly," Tomlin said during his press conference. "The depth of the ramifications of the cap discussions, I am not privy to as I sit here right now."

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Roethlisberger and the Steelers had a rough end to the season, winning just one of their final six contests, including the wild-card round. Overall, though, the six-time Pro Bowler had a solid season following elbow surgery, completing 65.6% of his passes for 3,803 yards and 33 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.

The biggest issue with Roethlisberger sticking around in Pittsburgh is that he carries a 2021 cap hit worth $41.25 million.

If the Steelers move on from Roethlisberger, it's unclear who their quarterback will be next season. Mason Rudolph is under contract for 2021, and he did go 5-3 in 2019, but he might not be Pittsburgh's long-term solution at quarterback.

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