Getty Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger teased coming back to a Super Bowl contender on his podcast after Week 14.
Every athlete tends to believe they have one more great performance left. Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is no different.
At least he appeared to express that idea, as he seemed to imply the possibility of returning to the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers on his weekly Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast on December 11.
“It’ll be interesting to see if they [49ers] want to go into the postseason with [Purdy],” Roethlisberger said. “[Or] if they can get a veteran to help because having a veteran that’s been there before, it’s a big deal.”
Roethlisberger and his co-host Spencer T’eo, who is a 49ers fan, continued to tease the idea of the 40-year-old quarterback joining San Francisco.
“How’s your arm feel?” T’eo asked Roethlisberger.
“It’s not bad,” the former signal caller responded, as he started doing arm circles and smiling.”
“As a 49ers fan, I’m always just perusing, you know what I mean,” T’eo then said. “Anyone who’s been there before, capable, has some rings. These are just what we’re looking for as the faithful.”
San Francisco has started third-string quarterback Brock Purdy in Weeks 14 and 15 because Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo are both dealing with long-term injuries.
On December 6, the 49ers signed veteran Josh Johnson to be Purdy’s backup. At 36 years old, Johnson is a veteran, but he only has 9 career starts, none of which have come in the postseason.
Roethlisberger Not Ready to Officially Call it Quits in NFL?
The quarterback known as Big Ben had quite the send off during his final few weeks with the Steelers. He received a very sympathetic goodbye in his final home game at then Heinz Field in front of a national television audience — a game in which he beat the Cleveland Browns, a team that passed on him despite Roethlisberger being an Ohio native, for a record 26th time.
Then for good measure, Roethlisberger and the Steelers knocked off bitter rival Baltimore in Week 18. It was Big Ben’s 17th career victory against Baltimore, and the win sent the Steelers to the playoffs and the Ravens to the golf course.
That playoff appearance ended with a blowout loss at Kansas City, but the end of Roethlisberger’s final regular season was storybook in Pittsburgh. At least it appeared that way publicly.
But then during a radio interview with WDVD at the NFL Draft, Roethlisberger was asked about possibly pulling a Tom Brady-like comeback. His response raised eyebrows.
“First off, my coach and GM don’t want me back,” said Roethlisberger.
That response caused quite a stir. Maybe Big Ben didn’t completely leave on his own terms and wished he could play one more time.
San Francisco could offer Roethlisberger a unique opportunity. The 49ers need a quarterback for just two months — no OTAs, training camp or preseason action. Just a signal caller that would give the 49ers defense and the offense’s playmakers a chance to lead the team to a Super Bowl title.
Purdy Silencing Call for San Francisco to Sign Veteran QB
When Roethlisberger argued the advantages of having a veteran signal caller over a rookie on his podcast, Purdy had played just one game.
He’s now played two. During his second start, he led the 49ers to a 21-13 victory on the road against the Seattle Seahawks on December 15.
In the last three games, Purdy has completed 69.1% of his passes for 612 yards and 6 touchdowns with 1 interception. He’s led San Francisco to three victories, and thanks to its most recent win, the 49ers will have at least one home game in the postseason.
The opponents will undoubtably get tougher. But Purdy, who was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is playing so well, it’s hard to imagine a signal caller who hasn’t worked out all summer and possesses no knowledge of Kyle Shanahan’s playbook doing better.
Still, a rookie quarterback has never won the Super Bowl. And if something happened to Purdy, who was dealing with a rib injury going into Week 15, San Francisco may be forced to consider even very out-of-the-box scenarios behind center.