"Don't Know That They're That Close:" Legendary Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger Says Pittsburgh Has No Chance In Near Future

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a bit of a pickle when it comes to the state of the franchise. The days of praising the organization for not having a losing season in over two decades are over. That kind of impressive run will lose credibility when a team has lost six postseason games in a row. There are many more questions than answers, and the ownership, front office, and coaching staff have a lot to think about throughout the 2025 offseason. The fan base is frustrated and pundits everywhere are starting to seriously criticize the direction in which Head Coach Mike Tomlin is taking his group.

One individual whose opinion is always welcomed by the fan base is Ben Roethlisberger. The legendary, two-time Super Bowl champion gave his all to the city for nearly two decades. It has not been the same since he left, but there is more going on than just a quarterback issue. The Steelers might be much further away from competing for a Super Bowl than some believe.

Roethlisberger spoke to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac recently and painted a sad picture regarding the state of the franchise. He believes that the beloved "Steelers way" has disappeared.

“It feels like there’s no ‘Steelers Way’ anymore,” Roethlisberger told Dulac . “There’s still guys who have it, but it doesn’t feel like it. It frustrates me to watch it happen.”

One of the few players that might still have that approach is the longest-tenured Steeler in Cameron Heyward, but Roethlisberger is spot on. This was evident when it seems as if some guys weren't going all out in a Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The former first-round pick detailed that Pittsburgh isn't necessarily close to hoisting another Lombardi.

“It might be time to figure out what you’ve got to do for the next couple years to make a run,” Roethlisberger said to Dulac. “I don’t know that they’re that close, to be honest.”

Roethlisberger is insinuating that the organization might have to make a knowledgable decision to tank, or at least accept a losing season or two in order to gain better draft positioning. Picking in the late-teens or 20s is unlikely to generate a franchise-altering draft.

This is very disheartening to hear from Roethlisberger, especially because he knows exactly what it takes to win at the professional level. It has been an extremely unfortunate run for Pittsburgh since the 2017 began, having not been victorious in a playoff game since a Division Round win against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2016 campaign.

Roethlisberger also told Dulac that the team is more than just a quarterback away from having consistent success. He was also asked if he believes currently that the franchise is ready for a run back to the Super Bowl and Roethlisberger simply said that he doesn't think so. These comments should act as a wake-up call to the organization, but will they?

Something has to be done to improve the approach in the 2025 offseason. Tomlin is not going anywhere, but someone of significance stepping in and letting him know that things need to be changed could be what the Steelers need. It's not a guarantee that it will happen, but at some point, nine and 10-win seasons with a playoff loss have to warrant significant change.

Steelers Currently Entering Most Important Offseason Since 2022

Pittsburgh had to deal with Roethlisberger's retirement after the 2021 season and reached for a quarterback in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. As Roethlisberger stated, the current team needs more than just a signal-caller. Money needs to be spent, trades need to be made, and a complete roster overhaul is necessary if the Steelers want to go from a playoff participant to a playoff contender.

Do you think that Roethlisberger is spot on with his comments? Let us know in the comments below!

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