PITTSBURGH – Ben Roethlisberger most likely in the last month of Pittsburgh Steelers career.
The 39-year-old quarterback has told former teammates and members of the organization that he intends this to be his final season in Pittsburgh, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported two weeks ago.
But he is dismissing all thoughts of the end as the Steelers try to strengthen towards the end of the season to earn a playoff spot.
“I live right here, right now,” Roethlisberger said Wednesday, asked if he thinks about how his own career will end. “We have to run. We have to play good football. We have to play great football. That starts right here for me. I can’t be caught looking at the end because I need to concentrate right away. here, this week.”
Despite the team’s lack of consistency in the last five games, Roethlisberger believes his dressing room can generate momentum in the last four.
“Sometimes you look at guys and look into their eyes and see what they have,” says Roethlisberger. “The crazy thing about this game and this sport is that you can look at the boys and you can feel that the boys have all the heart in the world and the passion and they want that and they will give you all they have.
“Sometimes the other team plays better or they play and you don’t. Just because you’re losing a football game or the season isn’t going the way you want it to, doesn’t mean these people have no heart, no love. it and not passionate about it. That’s not meant to be. I just want to see that guys never give up.”
This week, Roethlisberger’s tunnel vision focuses on the AFC South lead Tennessee Titans.
The Steelers (6-6-1) are in the basement of the AFC North, but they’re not far from the Baltimore Ravens (8-5) or Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, every 7-6.
“I think sitting out the weekend also gives us a perspective on how open the field is and where we could potentially be in it,” coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday.
One of the first steps to creating that push is to keep Roethlisberger upright. The Minnesota Vikings fired him five times on Thursday, bringing the total to 30 this season.
“I haven’t felt this way in a long time the days after a game,” Roethlisberger said of those shots, “but that’s football.”
During his 18-season career, Roethlisberger broke the NFL record 546 times. brave cat second in that category with 537 layoffs, although he has only been fired 16 times this season.
What does keeping the NFL record in a sack mean for Roethlisberger?
“It was me playing a long time and I kept the ball for too long,” he said.
Roethlisberger is chasing another record, which he is likely to snap on Sunday. He was just 27 yards past quarterback Philip Rivers, a team member of the 2004 draft class, who was fifth all-time in the NFL’s yards.
But it’s another major milestone that Roethlisberger doesn’t want to think about until he hangs it up.
“It means I’ve been playing for a long time,” said Roethlisberger. “No, personal things, it’s the things you look back and reflect on when you’re done. Whenever you go up there with a legend – I’ll call him that, my class – he’s still there. was a good footballer and a legendary footballer. It was great to play for a long time.”
