PITTSBURGH — Editor's note: the Locked On Podcast in the video player above is from Jan. 19, 2022.
One of the Cleveland Browns' biggest adversaries is calling it quits. As had long been expected, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement on Thursday, bringing an end to his Hall of Fame-caliber 18-year career.
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Roethlisberger made the announcement, which had been anticipated throughout the 2021 season, with a two-minute and 16-second long video on his official Twitter account.
"I retire from football a truly grateful man," Roethlisberger says in the video, which includes footage of him cleaning out his locker at Heinz Field.
A native of Findlay, Ohio, Roethlisberger spent his college career at Miami (Ohio) before being selected by the Steelers with the No. 11 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. After winning the first 13 starts of his rookie season en route to being named the 2004 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, he helped lead Pittsburgh to a victory of the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL in his second season as a starter.
The six-time Pro Bowl selection would add a second Super Bowl to his resume in 2008, throwing a game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds remaining to beat the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. Roethlisberger would also twice lead the NFL in passing yards (2014 and 2018) and retires ranking fifth all-time in passing yards and eighth in touchdown passes.
Roethlisberger's career, however, wasn't without controversy. In 2010, he was suspended for the first four games of the season due to a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy after a woman accused him of sexual assault in Georgia. Roethlisberger wasn't charged in the matter.
While Roethlisberger will likely be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in five years, his return to Northeast Ohio will be a sour one for many. Over the course of his career, the Buckeye State native was a thorn in the Browns' side, amassing a 26-2-1 record vs. Cleveland and was at one point the all-time winningest quarterback in FirstEnergy Stadium history.
With Roethlisberger retiring, Pittsburgh could become a player in the quarterback market. Currently, the Steelers' roster includes Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins at the position.