Roethlisberger contract looms over Steelers’ season

[polamalubeast]

It was no accident that, in an “exclusive” interview with the website he ultimately owns, Steelers president Art Rooney II declared that his most important employee, Ben Roethlisberger, won’t be getting a new contract until after the 2014 season. Obivously, the Steelers wanted to push their version — the practical equivalent of a press release — to the public before Roethlisberger had a chance to share his own narrative.

Roethlisberger has now shared his own narrative. And it goes a little something like this: I want $20 million per year.

He should. Lesser quarterbacks with fewer Super Bowl wins already get that much and more. Despite having an $18.895 million cap number pumped up by restructurings in past years that helped the team stay on the right side of the salary cap, Roethlisberger gets $12.1 million in 2014. Next year, the final season of his long-term contract, Ben will receive $11.6 million.

“Playing this year at my current salary, it’s kind of taking a hometown discount,” Roethlisberger told Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I’ve played seven years on my current contract, which is the most of any [NFL] player or any quarterback. . . . It is kind of taking a discount compared to maybe where it could be compared to other quarterbacks.”

On one hand, no one forced Roethlisberger to commit through 2015. On the other hand, his currently resides well below market value. Although he has two years left on his contract, that’s typically when the Steelers have addressed quarterback deals in the past.

“Usually the Steelers do a quarterback deal with two years to go, which would be this year. . . . It’s kind of a unique thing,” Roethlisberger said.

He could have said a lot of words other than “unique.”

While Roethlisberger said he “prays” he can stay with the Steelers, he added that he must “do what’s best for his family.” That’s a mild adjustment to his comments from the 2013 season, when reports attributed to “Steelers sources” from the national network the Steelers partially own indicated that Roethlisberger possibly wanted to be trade, forcing Roethlisberger to declare that he never wants to leave.

Is it that crazy to think the Steelers may have leaked the information (before officially denying its accuracy, of course) in order to cajole from an angry Roethlisberger the kind of strong verbal commitment to stay that would make it a lot harder for him to threaten to leave if he doesn’t eventually get top dollar?

“I’d retire before I’d accept a trade,” Roethlisberger said at the time.


read more


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/27/roethlisberger-contract-looms-over-steelers-season/

[fansince'76]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO04VXBIS0M

[fansince'76]

Although I believe he isn't going anywhere, I honestly wouldn't really blame him if he does...


floratiotime says: Jul 27, 2014 2:14 PM

He’s not a decent person and no one likes him … fans, players … no one.


kd75 says: Jul 27, 2014 2:18 PM

How many Super Bowl MVPs?…Zero.

Steelers won those Super Bowls despite Ben, not because of Ben.

Go ahead and click thumbs down.


mrnick66 says: Jul 27, 2014 2:19 PM

of course they won’t redo his contract. 28 tds and 14 int’s last year they want him to play for less money because he does not deserve big money,


wdcskins says: Jul 27, 2014 2:25 PM

Pros: tough, physically gifted, elusive.

Cons: unlikable and dumb.

Now that he’s getting older and losing those physical gifts and elusiveness, it’s a good time for Pittsburgh to look to its future. Goodbye, you misogynistic dummy.


sdsmooth says: Jul 27, 2014 2:26 PM

Ben won 2 Super Bowls because he played two of the worst NFC representatives in Super Bowl history. Once he played a formidable opponent … he lost.

:doh:

[stillers4me]

Did Ben sleep with Florio's sister or something?

[fansince'76]

Did Ben sleep with Florio's sister or something?

Maybe he refused Florio's kid an autograph because he didn't have boobs... :chuckle:

[GBMelBlount]

Did Ben sleep with Florio's sister or something?

Hope she falls in love with Cam Thomas.

[Shoes]

Hope she falls in love with Cam Thomas.


:chuckle:

[X-Terminator]

Florio. No interest in clicking the link to any story that fuckwit posts on his site.

All of this hand-wringing...when Ben gets his big extension next February or March, everyone will finally shut the fuck up with this overly dramatic bullshit.

[fansince'76]

All of this hand-wringing...when Ben gets his big extension next February or March, everyone will finally shut the fuck up with this overly dramatic bullshit.

No, then all the hand-wringing will start because "the FO paid him too much"...

[X-Terminator]

No, then all the hand-wringing will start because "the FO paid him too much"...

And then I would ask those dopes would they rather have Jay Cutler's contract? Or Joe Flacco? Or go back to the Kordell years? Ben deserves to get paid top quarterback money, period. His age should have NO bearing on that, which I'm sure will be the #1 complaint from those dopes.

[polamalubeast]

And then I would ask those dopes would they rather have Jay Cutler's contract? Or Joe Flacco? Or go back to the Kordell years? Ben deserves to get paid top quarterback money, period. His age should have NO bearing on that, which I'm sure will be the #1 complaint from those dopes.

agree


With the rules, now the QB can be very good until 40 years old or older if they avoid serious injury


Drew Brees want to play until at 45 years old and I think this is possible

[ALLD]

Dumb premise to the article after the Rooney's and BB said for the record that it will be addressed in the off season.

[blackngldblood]

Really Florio? F*** him. He's been stirring the pot with Ben for a long time now. Even his buddy La Canfora came out today and said Ben's not going anywhere. Jesus. Christ.....

[dislocatedday]

I don't get why so much the media (and some fans of other teams) keep making Ben out to be some "old" QB that is at the end of the line. Manning, Brady, Brees, and Romo are all older....some several years older......and you do not hear the cries of "they are too old...don't pay them" being thrown their way. Heck, Jay Cutler is only 1 year younger than Roethlisberger now and Aaron Rodgers will be 31 in December.

And I have repeated this many times of the years, but give any of the other top-tier QBs the offensive lines that Ben had from about 2007-2012 and I seriously doubt any of them would have had the success that Ben has had during that time. I sincerely believe that, even if some think I am just being a homer with that statement.

I think Ben is going to get a 5 year extension next offseason that puts him with an annual salary that is in the top 5 of all QBs in the league....and he will have earned it.

[BigNastyDefense]

Ben should have won SB MVP for 43 instead of Holmes, IMO. Holmes made a great catch, but if they don't overturn Ben's rushing TD in the beginning of that game, they don't need that catch (and I think the TD should have stood).

And to say that the Steelers played two of the worst ever NFC reps in the Super Bowl ever, that's a joke. The Cardinals almost won that damn game because our defense forgot how to defend most of the second half.

And SB 40, everyone expected a better showing from the Seahawks who were the #1 seed in the NFC going 13-3 that season. The Steelers defense was just that damn good. They didn't allow NFL MVP Shaun Alexander to get into the endzone the entire game (he set the then-record for touchdowns in a season that year with 27). They also didn't allow Hasselbeck to get into much of a groove in that game, as he was a pretty good QB. Ben didn't have a great game that day, but he also didn't screw the pooch a la Neil O'Donnel.

People talk about Terry Bradshaw like he threw 5 touchdowns to every interception in his career. I love Bradshaw and I am glad he was a Steeler. But in Super Bowl IX, he was 9/14 for 96 yards and a TD. The plan was to stop the Vikings offense and let our running backs wear down their defense, and to not let Bradshaw screw it up.

To say Roethlisberger played no role in the success of the Steelers over the course of his career is asinine. The guy is a franchise QB. Yeah, he became an asshole. I bet you Tom Brady is a total asshole. Peyton Manning might be too. But there's a reason the Steelers went so long between Super Bowl wins. They did it because they didn't have a quarterback good enough to get them there (remember Kordell's INT that sealed the AFCCG for the Broncos) or to win it (O'Donnel).

[polamalubeast]

Ben should have won SB MVP for 43 instead of Holmes, IMO. Holmes made a great catch, but if they don't overturn Ben's rushing TD in the beginning of that game, they don't need that catch (and I think the TD should have stood).

And to say that the Steelers played two of the worst ever NFC reps in the Super Bowl ever, that's a joke. The Cardinals almost won that damn game because our defense forgot how to defend most of the second half.

And SB 40, everyone expected a better showing from the Seahawks who were the #1 seed in the NFC going 13-3 that season. The Steelers defense was just that damn good. They didn't allow NFL MVP Shaun Alexander to get into the endzone the entire game (he set the then-record for touchdowns in a season that year with 27). They also didn't allow Hasselbeck to get into much of a groove in that game, as he was a pretty good QB. Ben didn't have a great game that day, but he also didn't screw the pooch a la Neil O'Donnel.

People talk about Terry Bradshaw like he threw 5 touchdowns to every interception in his career. I love Bradshaw and I am glad he was a Steeler. But in Super Bowl IX, he was 9/14 for 96 yards and a TD. The plan was to stop the Vikings offense and let our running backs wear down their defense, and to not let Bradshaw screw it up.

To say Roethlisberger played no role in the success of the Steelers over the course of his career is asinine. The guy is a franchise QB. Yeah, he became an asshole. I bet you Tom Brady is a total asshole. Peyton Manning might be too. But there's a reason the Steelers went so long between Super Bowl wins. They did it because they didn't have a quarterback good enough to get them there (remember Kordell's INT that sealed the AFCCG for the Broncos) or to win it (O'Donnel).



I agree with you, except I think Holmes deserved the Super Bowl MVP, since Holmes had 131 of the 256 passing yards of Roethlisberger

Co-mvp would have been a good choice too

[fansince'76]

And to say that the Steelers played two of the worst ever NFC reps in the Super Bowl ever, that's a joke. The Cardinals almost won that damn game because our defense forgot how to defend most of the second half.

Not only that, but Brady continues to get his knob slobbed nonstop for topping an overrated and overconfident Rams team, a juiced-up one season wonder Jake Delhomme-led Carolina team, and an Eagles team with arguably the biggest diva WR in NFL history and the biggest big game-choking QB outside of Peyton Manning who spent the end of that game puking his guts out...all by a FG a piece under questionable circumstances (*cough* Spygate *cough*) with the most recent coming a decade ago at this point.

Since? He's lost to the "lesser" Manning in the Super Bowl twice (with one of those being the biggest upset since the Jets beat the Colts in SB III) and got outplayed badly by Moonball Joe Flacco in his own backyard in two consecutive AFCCGs. He's also damned lucky he had Vinatieri as opposed to someone like Scott Norwood for those 3 he did "win."

And do I really need to mention the postseason record of the other QBs that are always held up as being so "superior" to Ben? (P. Manning: 11-12, Brees: 6-5, Rodgers: 6-4)

Ben? 10-4 lifetime.

Go figure. :noidea:

[polamalubeast]

Not only that, but Brady continues to get his knob slobbed nonstop for topping an overrated and overconfident Rams team, a juiced-up one season wonder Jake Delhomme-led Carolina team, and an Eagles team with arguably the biggest diva WR in NFL history and the biggest big game-choking QB outside of Peyton Manning who spent the end of that game puking his guts out...all by a FG a piece under questionable circumstances (*cough* Spygate *cough*) with the most recent coming a decade ago at this point.

Since? He's lost to the "lesser" Manning in the Super Bowl twice (with one of those being the biggest upset since the Jets beat the Colts in SB III) and got outplayed badly by Moonball Joe Flacco in his own backyard in two consecutive AFCCGs. He's also damned lucky he had Vinatieri as opposed to someone like Scott Norwood for those 3 he did "win."

And do I really need to mention the postseason record of the other QBs that are always held up as being so "superior" to Ben? (P. Manning: 11-12, Brees: 6-5, Rodgers: 6-4)

Ben? 10-4 lifetime.

Go figure. :noidea:


One thing I can not believe is that Brady won the Super Bowl MVP in 2001 with only 145 yards!....And 17 of the 20 points of patriots against the rams, it was because of turnovers...If it was still Dick Vermeil the coach of the rams, the rams would have probably won

[Psycho Ward 86]

Not only that, but Brady continues to get his knob slobbed nonstop for topping an overrated and overconfident Rams team, a juiced-up one season wonder Jake Delhomme-led Carolina team, and an Eagles team with arguably the biggest diva WR in NFL history and the biggest big game-choking QB outside of Peyton Manning who spent the end of that game puking his guts out...all by a FG a piece under questionable circumstances (*cough* Spygate *cough*) with the most recent coming a decade ago at this point.

Since? He's lost to the "lesser" Manning in the Super Bowl twice (with one of those being the biggest upset since the Jets beat the Colts in SB III) and got outplayed badly by Moonball Joe Flacco in his own backyard in two consecutive AFCCGs. He's also damned lucky he had Vinatieri as opposed to someone like Scott Norwood for those 3 he did "win."

And do I really need to mention the postseason record of the other QBs that are always held up as being so "superior" to Ben? (P. Manning: 11-12, Brees: 6-5, Rodgers: 6-4)

Ben? 10-4 lifetime.

Go figure. :noidea:

dont forget brady's playoff record is only 5-5 after he stopped cheating.

[tube517]

He's Cowher's draft pick.....blame Cowher! :lol: