The Steelers are in cap hell, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is willing to help the situation. Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger willing to restructure contract

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jan 28, 2021 6:40 PM ET

Earlier in the day, Pittsburgh Steelers president and CEO Art Rooney II told reporters that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would have to restructure his contract to create salary-cap space if he wants to return to the team for the 2021 season.

According to The Athletic's Ed Bouchette, the signal-caller who turns 39 years old in March is willing to help:

Ben Roethlisberger just told me: "I don't care bout my pay at all this year!" And is willing to restructure a contract that has a $41 million cap hit for 2021 that includes $19 million in bonus and salary that can be restructured.
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 28, 2021

More Ben Roethlisberger just now to me: "I am pretty sure I want to go one more year (because) I think I can do it and give us a real chance and winning."
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 28, 2021

Roethlisberger guided Pittsburgh to a 12-4 record and the division title, but the Steelers fell to the Cleveland Browns on wild-card Sunday. As Brooke Pryor wrote for ESPN, the Steelers will likely rework Roethlisberger's contract to spread cap hits across the 2021 and 2022 seasons rather than ask the two-time Super Bowl champion to accept a pay cut.

Per ESPN stats, Roethlisberger finished the regular season tied for seventh in the NFL with 33 touchdown passes, 19th with a 94.1 passer rating, and 22nd with a 60.1 total QBR.

Pittsburgh also has former first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins and backup Mason Rudolph on the roster. Bringing Roethlisberger back and reducing his cap hits in the process should prevent the Steelers from shopping for one of the many proven veteran quarterbacks set to be available this offseason.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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