Statistics will tell us Ben Roethlisberger was the one who brought the Steelers their last Super Bowl back in 2008. Who can forget that final drive in the Super Bowl XIII? With just over two minutes left, Roethlisberger began an eight-play drive that saw Pittsburgh march 78-yards down the field. The final play, the iconic toe-tap from Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the end zone, capped a massive drive and pushed the Steelers to their NFL-record sixth Super Bowl trophy. But these stats will not tell us what former tight end Heath Miller had said.

“For me it felt like we always had a chance when Ben was in the huddle. He had that confidence, something you have to have at that position. I think that’s a trait that makes him so great, his ability to be so competitive,” Miller had noted. Indeed, Steelers fans can never forget that 2010 game against the Ravens, when Big Ben pushed through the pain of a broken nose (after being punched by Haloti Ngata) to deliver a touchdown to Issac Redman, sealing the win. Shannon Sharpe summed it up aptly: “He took a lot of punishment. He’s the most sacked quarterback in NFL history. … He stood on that hill for the Pittsburgh Steelers.” However, something that will probably also define him is the same boldness to call it quits and stand by that.

In the final weeks of the 2021 season, all signs were pointing toward the Week 17 game against the Browns being his final home game. After beating the Browns, a teary-eyed Roethlisberger ran around part of the stadium, giving high-fives to fans before walking up the tunnel arm in arm with his wife and three kids. Then came January 27, 2022, and it was time to hand over the baton. And Ben never looked back. Last month he revealed, “When Aaron got hurt right in New York [in 2023] with his Achilles, my agent would be like hey, any interest? I’m like zero.” Now, he has once again cleared that if you were holding out hope for a Roethlisberger return, it’s time to take a knee.

On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Roethlisberger put all speculation to rest with a brutally honest admission. When Pat asked if he could still sling it at the NFL level, the 43-year-old didn’t hesitate. “I don’t think I got it anymore,” he said, with the same confidence he once had when calling audibles at the line of scrimmage.

And just to hammer the point home, he shared a backyard reality check: “I put both my sons in the backyard and couldn’t even overthrow one of them. So, I think I’m out.” If that’s not a self-scouting report straight out of the Mike Tomlin school of brutal honesty, what is?

For a guy who spent 18 seasons making impossible plays look routine, this kind of self-awareness is refreshing. After all, we’ve seen plenty of quarterbacks struggle with the whole “letting go” part of retirement (looking at you, Brett Favre). While certain others—ahem Aaron Rodgers—continue to chase the fountain of youth, Roethlisberger seems at peace with where he stands.

No cryptic tweets or over-the-top training videos. No, ‘maybe I’ll return if the right team calls.’ Just a simple, definitive, “I’m done.” Interestingly, last year, appearing on Steven Weathercroft podcast, Ben had outlined an important factor that he took into consideration while making his decision.

“I think the next closest guy in age to me was like 14 years. It’s so hard to connect. I was closer in age to more coaches than I was to players. So it was like, this is it for me. I know my body was ready to be done. I am gonna hang up on my own terms,” Ben had said. But that doesn’t mean Roethlisberger’s name is as good as nothing. Even today, that name is enough to start a top 20 debate.

Back in 2019, when NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison ranked the top 25 quarterbacks of all time, he slotted Roethlisberger at No. 19. Naturally, Steelers fans weren’t thrilled. How could a two-time Super Bowl champion, a guy who led the league in passing yards in 2018 at age 36, rank that low? But Harrison’s rationale was simple: while Roethlisberger was consistently great, was he ever the best quarterback in the league? That’s a fair question, considering he spent his prime battling Brady, Manning, Brees, and Rodgers.

Even now, his legacy sits in that awkward in-between space—clearly one of the greats, but not quite in that exclusive top-10 club.

Still, let’s put some respect on the man’s name. We’re talking about a quarterback who threw for over 64,000 yards, ranks in the top 10 for career passing yards and completions, and has a passer rating of 94.2. He also has more fourth-quarter comebacks than Montana and more game-winning drives than Elway. Yet, for some reason, his career always comes with a “yeah, but…” attached.

Yeah, but, it doesn’t really matter. Ben Roethlisberger gave Pittsburgh enough moments to revel in. Sadly, Steel City will not be saying for Russell Wilson.

Russell Wilson is not the next Ben Roethlisberger by a mile

Russell Wilson to the Steelers always felt like a temporary fix, not a long-term plan. Now, with free agency looming, Pittsburgh has a choice to make. Do they double down on Wilson, or do they hand the reins to Justin Fields? Big Ben, never one to shy away from a take, has made his stance clear: Fields is the guy.

On his Footbahlin podcast, Ben Roethlisberger said, “I’d like to see what Fields can do in another year of that offense… Some of the mobility stuff would be interesting.” Translation? Wilson’s time in Pittsburgh was fun while it lasted, but Fields might be the future.

And honestly, Big Ben has a point. Fields has been thrown into new systems every year, like a rookie quarterback getting blitzed on every dropback. If given consistency under Arthur Smith, who’s to say he doesn’t take off?

Meanwhile, Wilson’s market is drying up faster than a two-minute drill with no timeouts. He visited the Giants and Browns, left without a deal, and now finds himself waiting—possibly for an opportunity that may never come.

Wilson isn’t calling it quits, though. Through social media, he’s made it clear—retirement is not an option. He still believes he can chase another Super Bowl ring. The question is, which team is willing to buy in? Because right now, it looks like Wilson may have to embrace a backup role if he wants to stay in the league.

So, is Russell Wilson the next Ben Roethlisberger? Not even close. Big Ben was Pittsburgh’s guy for nearly two decades. Wilson? He was a rental, and now, the Steelers are moving on.