Ben Roethlisberger Announces Retirement After 18 Seasons

Big Ben is hanging it up after 18 years in Pittsburgh.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced Thursday he is retiring after 18 NFL seasons. 

Roethlisberger made the announcement in a video released on Twitter.

“The journey has been exhilarating, defined by relationships and fueled by a spirit of competition,” Roethlisberger said. “Yet the time has come to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats and continue to be all I can be to my wife and children. I retire from football a truly grateful man.”

Roethlisberger, 39, is one of the NFL’s most decorated quarterbacks since entering the league in 2004. He is the Steelers' all-time leader in wins (165) and passing touchdowns (418), and he earned six Pro Bowl selections in Pittsburgh. The Steelers won two Super Bowls with Roethlisberger in the '05 and '08 seasons. 

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The former Steelers QB hinted at retirement near the end of the 2021 season. He noted the chance he was ending his career after a loss to the Chiefs in the wild-card round, telling reporters, “I'm proud to play with these guys.”

Pittsburgh finished 9-7-1 in 2021 with Roethlisberger under center. They reached the playoffs 12 times with him at quarterback. 

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