Steelers president Art Rooney II said it’s not “written in stone” this will be Ben Roethlisberger’s final year with the team, even though the Steelers reworked their star quarterback’s contract to enable him to come back for what appeared to be just one more season.
Roethlisberger took a $5 million pay cut and signed a one-year contract that expires after the 2021 season, though the deal includes four more voidable years that significantly lessens his salary-cap hit this season.
“We’re aware this could be Ben’s last year and we hope it’s a great one,” Rooney said on Tuesday. “That’s as far as we can go. If this is his last year, then next year we’ll be making decisions on quarterback and we’ll address that when the time comes up.”
Then Rooney added: “It’s not written in stone this is his last year.”
Also, Rooney said he is hoping to sign Pro Bowl outside linebacker T.J. Watt to a new contract before the start of the regular season. The Steelers have been having ongoing discussions with Watt’s agent about a contract that could make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league.
“We’d like to get a deal done before the start of the season. That’s the goal,” Rooney said. “I try not to get too optimistic or pessimistic. I’ve seen these things go so many different ways over the years. We’re just going to do our best. Both sides want to get something done, so that’s always a good thing.”
There are a number of different scenarios that could determine if Roethlisberger will play beyond this season with the Steelers, though the biggest is how well he and team perform in 2021. That would require them to advance further than they did last season in the postseason, perhaps even making a run at an AFC championship.
Given that scenario, it would also depend if Roethlisberger would want to return in 2022, when he would be 40. He has said he wanted to return this season to make one more run at a Super Bowl, which would be his fourth appearance.
“There’s a sense of urgency,” Rooney said. “Ben recognizes it could be his last year. He wants to make sure, if it is, he can go out on a high note.”
Meanwhile, despite the recent rise in COVID-19 case and a return to some mask mandates, Rooney said the Steelers still plan to have full capacity at Heinz Field during the season. But he said the team will continue to monitor the advice of the CDC.
“It’s something you certainly can’t ignore,” Rooney said. “At this point, we’re not anticipating [going backward], but, as we’ve seen, anything can happen. We’re keeping our fingers crossed. We’re expecting to have a full stadium and tickets have sold like it’s going to be full capacity, so, for now, all systems are go.”
Rooney also said it wasn’t the Steelers’ decision to not hold training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and the team intends to return there once the pandemic is over.
“It certainly wasn’t our decision and we weren’t happy about it,” Rooney said. “It’s one of those things, under the circumstances, we have to live with but we’d rather not. That’s where we are.”
