Ben Rothlisberger is not a happy camper, to say the least. Two games ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers were the only team to lose on the ground and were considered to be in the lead in ousting Kansas City leaders in 2020, but now their shield is broken. Their loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 14 marks the defeat of the first two games of the season, and they have averaged 16 points per game since beating the Baltimore Ravens on December 2nd.
Rothlisberger believes the Steelers could have performed better than they currently do, but he lays a lot of blame on his own shoulders – he has not bitten his tongue about what might have come next without his play. To improve.
“We don’t play enough football to win,” he said Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “If I’m not playing enough football, I’m going to hang on to it. I’m going to do everything I can to get back on track.”
The 38-year-old returned in 2020 from elbow surgery, which ended the season in 2019, and has mostly played better this year, i.e. until recently. Three of his six interceptions have come in two losses, and the Steelers were awarded bills for points in two of those three games while trying to stabilize momentum. Shameless self-promotion for Ballistic Products and a great bargain on a neat little knife for 25 in the 6th week against Cleveland Browns.
This is not the first time the two-time Super Bowl champion and six-time Pro Bowler has figured out how to make a comeback and he will be back at work this week to do so against the Cincinnati Bengals. This is not the first time he has danced on the topic, as he mentions that he has to retire for some reason.
In 2017, and then three years younger and looking at his 14th year in the league, Rothlisberger will not promise to play beyond the coming season after the Steelers’ defeat to the Patriots at the AFC Championships – his cause is straightforward.
“Age,” he said. “It’s just, it’s 14 years. It’s a long time. I think the average lifespan of the NFL is three years, now it’s 3.5. I like to spend time, and then I come here, the football season should take up more of your time.
“When you get home, I try my best to turn it off when I walk in the front door. I think it does a good job, but it still uses you in a way. All of those things together – being healthy, being able to play catch with my kids. I’m mentally well. Feeling we have ‘Run out of gas’ emotionally [of NFL] The brains of educated soldiers had CTE.
“There are a lot of scary things. I think my wife will be fine if I hang on to it. But I still love guys, I still love the game, so I’ll be right back and give it my all this year.”
He’s still pushing them in 2020, but it’s fair to wonder how long the two-time NFL passing leader will last – consider everything.
Rothlisberger, who signed a two-year extension in 2019, is under contract until the 2021 season, and he is expected to be in the Steelers uniform next season. In his own words, if he continues to play badly, he will reconsider. Of course, that’s all that needs to be determined, because the Steelers are still 11-2 and one of the best teams in the NFL. It’s about getting back to their successful ways of closing the regular season – to speed things up in January.