Roethlisberger not sure he will return to Steelers next year

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Tuesday that he hasn’t decided whether he will play next year.

Pro Football Talk reported that Roethlisberger, 34, was asked on his weekly radio segment about how much longer he thinks he will be playing in the NFL. He said he didn't know and stopped short of confirming that he would return for the 2017 season.

"To consider health, and family and things like that, and just kind of take some time away to evaluate next season, if there's going to be a next season," Roethlisberger said.  "I think at this point in my career, at my age, that's the prudent and smart thing to do every year."

Roethlisberger, who was the first-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2004, said he would consider all options.

The comments came as head coach Mike Tomlin was getting ready to hold his final news conference of the season.

"His returning or not returning will weigh heavily in our planning. I'm not alarmed by it. Obviously, I'm hopeful he returns," Tomlin said.

Tomlin said that while Roethlisberger hasn't talked to him directly about the future, he is taking the comments seriously. The two will speak later during end-of-season meetings.

Former Steeler and NFL Hall of Hamer Jerome Bettis told Channel 11 he wasn’t surprised either, and said Roethlisberger's comments were similar to what he was feeling later in his career.

“The last couple of years I played in the NFL, I was year by year,” Bettis said. “I was to the point that physically I was starting to get beat up.”

If Roethlisberger does retire this offseason, he’ll owe the team $19 million, since he has three years left on his contract.

Bettis said he believes Roethlisberger still has some good years ahead of him in the NFL.

“I think given some time off and away from the game, he can recharge his battery and give it another shot at winning a championship,” he said.

Steelers wide receiver

to address Roethlisberger's comments, posting an image of himself with the quarterback and James Harrison with the caption, "Not yet big fella."

Roethlisberger has played 13 seasons and is the franchise leader in every major passing category.

He ranks 10th on the NFL's all-time list for passing yards (46,814), 9th with 301 touchdown passes, 9th with a 94.1 passer rating and 12th with a career 64.1 completion percentage.

Cox Media Group