What happened to Ben Roethlisberger? Is he still playing now?

Since Ben Roethlisberger's debut in 2004, this is the first year that the Pittsburgh Steelers have played without him. The 2021–22 season marked the end for the club's great.

A farewell tour was held for the 40-year-old's last season in the NFL. Roethlisberger revealed what has become clear in the last days of the 2021 campaign in a video he shared on social media.

"The trip has been amazing, fuelled by a sense of competition. But now is the right time to clean up my locker, hang up my cleats, and keep giving my wife and kids everything I've got. I leave the game of football with sincere gratitude."

The decision to retire had been anticipated for the majority of the year by the two-time Super Bowl champion Roethlisberger. However, the Steelers' year came to an end in January when the Chiefs soundly defeated them in the NFL playoffs' wild-card round.

The franchise had chosen Roethlisberger as a first-round pick in the 2004 NFL draft from the Miami University in Ohio. He was chosen that year as a quarterback in the same elite class as Philip Rivers and Eli Manning.

Ben Roethlisberger's records

Only Tom Brady (219 with the New England Patriots) had triumphed in more games with one franchise than Ben Roethlisberger, who has 165 total victories with the Steelers. That number is fifth for most victories by a quarterback, dating back to at least 1950.

The most regular-season matches played by a player during the Steelers' existence is 249 by Ben Roethlisberger. He had the fifth most regular-season victories in NFL history with a record of 165-81-1.

In terms of passing yards, Roethlisberger ranks fifth all-time with 64,088, and with regards to touchdown passes, he is seventh with 418.

The Steelers' all-time record holder in passing touchdowns, home victories, and quarterback wins is Ben Roethlisberger. The organization announced that Roethlisberger will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027.

Roethlisberger was selected No. 11 overall out of Miami in the 2004 NFL Draft, behind fellow stalwart quarterbacks Eli Manning and Philip Rivers. He was thrown into the fray early because of injuries and made his NFL debut in the third game as a rookie.

As a starting QB that year, he was able to win all 13 matches, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year while leading Pittsburgh to a 15-1 record before losing in the AFC Championship matchup.

Additionally, he had a regular-season win rate of .670 as a starter, which is the second-highest in the team's history and the sixth-highest in NFL history.

Following a 1-3 start and a three-game losing run midway through the season, the Steelers were still able to reach the playoffs despite Roethlisberger's final season not being as productive as he'd have planned. He threw for 3,740 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in his final season.