After watching Philip Rivers have a pretty solid return to the NFL as a 44-year-old for the Indianapolis Colts in a losing effort against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Pittsburgh Steelers fans might have been thinking about someone.
That someone is former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has been out of the game for some time. Pittsburgh has another veteran NFL quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, as its starting quarterback this season.
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So, Steelers fans probably want to know if Roethlisberger would even consider a comeback to the NFL. Roethlisberger was asked about the possibility, and Steelers beat reporter Nick Farabaugh for Penn Live revealed the legendary quarterback’s answer.
“Big Ben says he’s not going to pull a Philip Rivers. His career is over. He gave a definitive no,” Fairbaugh posted on X. “Let me tell you, my right arm still works, but it’s the rest of my body I’m worried about,” Roethlisberger said about his current situation.
Big Ben says he’s not going to pull a Phillip Rivers. His career is over. He gave a definitive no.
“Let me tell you, my right arm still works, but it’s the rest of my body I’m worried about.”
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) December 16, 2025
Roethlisberger played his entire 18-year NFL career with the Steelers, leading the team to two Super Bowl victories. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year honor in 2004 and earned six Pro Bowl selections in his career.
He threw for 64,088 yards, 418 touchdown passes, and 211 interceptions for Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger is 43 years old right now, which makes him just a tad younger than Rivers.
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With Rodgers leading the Steelers’ offense, according to the PFSN NFL Offense Impact metrics, Pittsburgh has an impact score of 75.2 and grades out to a C.
Rivers was added to the Colts’ practice squad last week, returning after a long absence from the NFL. He has spent the majority of his career with the San Diego-Los Angeles Chargers’ franchise, before his one previous season with Indianapolis in 2020.
But the Colts had a serious problem at quarterback with starter Daniel Jones going out for the season with a torn Achilles. Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard was also injured in the Colts’ Week 14 game, but was healthy enough to be Rivers’ backup on Sunday.
So, don’t expect to see Big Ben back in the pocket for Pittsburgh ever again. He’s just going to stay on the sidelines and root for the Steelers, who are playing the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
