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The Steelers have already lost a retired player and more could be on the way. Will this have an impact on Ben Roethlisberger’s decision to return?
After a disappointing end to the 2020 season, we knew the Steelers would be very different in 2021. Pittsburgh is currently one of the most limited teams in the NFL, and they’re currently valued at around $ 34 million in the hole, according to Over the Cap. However, the Steelers can make several decisions to get some positive money back.
Fortunately, some of these decisions have already been made for them. January 22, Vance McDonald released his official retirement statement to the team. Two days later, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Maurkice Pouncey had informed his teammates that he was “probably retiring.”
Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey has told his teammates he will likely retire after 11 seasons. Unless a change of mind, could make a decision soon, according to the sources.
– Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 24, 2021
Pouncey would end his decorative career with 9 Pro Bowl appearances and 2 All-Pro first-team honors. While we can have a discussion as to whether or not he was overrated or not, he was still a great old first-round pick and will likely be one of the Steelers’ best offensive linemen in the modern age.
McDonald’s hasn’t done much for the team over the past two years, but their 2018 season was unforgettable. Although he didn’t earn Pro Bowl honors, he managed to catch 50 balls for 610 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he was a nightmare to bring down after the catch.
These two players combined to play 15 seasons in Pittsburgh, and it’s no secret that they were two of Ben Roethlisberger’s closest friends on the team.
Will retired Steelers veterans influence Ben’s decision to return?
While most believe Roethlisberger will return to play in the final year of his contract, it is not a decision set in stone. With all of the recent changes, one has to start to wonder if any of this will impact Big Ben’s decision for the 2021 season.
In addition to losing McDonald and Pouncey, Roethlisberger will be without Randy Fichtner – the offensive coordinator he was involved in hiring. Now that Matt Canada has been officially hired as the new offensive coordinator, Roethlisberger may wish to stay. However, it is possible that Canada will bring a whole new attacking style to this team which was desperately lacking in creativity in 2020.
On top of these changes, the Steelers are a long way from losing veterans. A number of high profile names are expected to hit the market like Bud Dupree, Matt Feiler, Mike Hilton and James Conner. Even Ben’s safety valve in the passing game, JuJu Smith-Schuster, is very likely to sign elsewhere as Pittsburgh doesn’t have the funds to hold him back. Moreover, Alejandro Villanueva is another player who can still choose to retire or sign with another team.
Whether Pittsburgh likes to admit it or not, this team is at the start of a rebuild, and there could be up to 10 new starters on the team next season. Ben Roethlisberger still has time to make his decision, but with so many veteran friends who will no longer be around, retirement needs to be on his mind.
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