Ben Roethlisberger confirms game vs. Browns likely will be his last at home for Steelers

Barring a change of heart, Ben Roethlisberger will play his final regular-season home game Monday night for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In his first extensive public comments about his future, Roethlisberger admitted Thursday that “this could be it” as he nears the end of his 18th year with the Steelers.

“I don’t ever speak in definites or guarantees. That’s not how I’ve ever done it or who I am,” Roethlisberger said, “but looking at the bigger picture, I would say all signs are pointing that this could be it.”

Roethlisberger, 39, owns every major passing record in franchise history and has led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances and two championships.

Roethlisberger one day hoped to match Terry Bradshaw’s four Super Bowl victories, but the Steelers haven’t returned to the championship game in more than a decade. This year, the Steelers are 7-7-1 and need to beat the Browns on Monday night and the Baltimore Ravens in the season finale — and get some outside help — just to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

If the Steelers win both games and the Cincinnati Bengals lose their final two, the Steelers would win the AFC North and assure Roethlisberger of one more home game in the postseason.

The chance for the Steelers to extend their season is one reason Roethlisberger couched retirement talk.

“I’ll address the definite answer at some point down the road,” he said. “My focus is winning this game. If it is indeed my last regular season game, it’s going to be one of the most important games of my career. I’ve been so blessed to play in front of the best fans in all of sport, the best venue. What better way to have a last regular-season game than on Monday Night Football against a divisional opponent? It’s special.”

This season, Roethlisberger has thrown for 3,373 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He ranks No. 13 in passing yardage and his 6.5 yards per attempt are 27th among his peers.

Although he has engineered six game-winning drives and five fourth-quarter comebacks this season, Roethlisberger also is coming off his two least productive passing games. He had 148 yards passing in a win against Tennessee and followed it by throwing for 159 yards in a loss at Kansas City.

“It’s a lot of things,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s 18 years. Almost half of my life I’ve given to this city and this team and the fans. … I know I still have it in the tank to go out there this week and next week and give it everything I have. I want to do everything I can to get us into the postseason.”

Roethlisberger has won 163 regular-season games, which ranks fifth all-time. Two weeks ago, he broke a tie with Brett Favre to move into third place with 91 home victories. Only Tom Brady (116 at Gillette Stadium) and John Elway (95 at Mile High Stadium) have won more games than Roethlisberger has at Heinz Field.

“To me, that will always mean more than yards and touchdowns,” Roethlisberger said.

When Roethlisberger accepted a $5 million pay cut to return on a one-year deal for the 2021 season, he knew he was joining a team in transition. His best friend on the team, center Maurkice Pouncey, had retired, and other veterans on the offensive line were released or allowed to exit in free agency.

“I wouldn’t say that I had my mind made up by any means,” Roethlisberger said, “but I had my mind made up coming into this season that I was going to give it everything I have to try and win a Super Bowl.”

Roethlisberger has been surrounded by the youngest offense in the NFL season, which has contributed to the Steelers ranking No. 22 in points scored and total yards. Roethlisberger has been sacked 35 times, his highest total since 2013.

Yet, he has helped the Steelers weather a three-game losing streak and another stretch of three losses in a four-game span to remain in the playoff hunt.

“I was excited for this season,” Roethlisberger said. “I still am. It’s not over. We’re not having this (conversation) because it’s all over. We have a really important game this week, which is really important for this season.

“Coming in, I thought this team was special. We knew we were going to have some obstacles to overcome, and we’ve had them, and we’ve had some unforeseen ones.”

Cornerback Joe Haden is a 12-year veteran who was tortured by Roethlisberger for seven years in Cleveland before he joined the Steelers in 2017. He still sees flashes of brilliance from his quarterback.

“It’s extending plays, believing in his arm, being able to make all the throws,” Haden said. “His arm strength, his confidence squeezing balls into tight windows and being a gunslinger.”

In a sign that he was planning his exit, Roethlisberger had his extended family make the trip to Kansas City for the game last Sunday against the Chiefs. He said his family attends every home game, and having them in attendance against the Browns will make for an emotional backdrop.

“Emotions will start to kick in,” he said. “They already have when you think about it, but I think I’m able to put those emotions on the backburner because of the focus of what we have to do to win this game. This is a team that is hungry. It’s the Browns, a division opponent, and they are hungry to come in and get a win, too.

“I can’t sit here all week and be nostalgic and think about everything that my career has been when I’ve got to focus on this game.”