PITTSBURGH – Ben Roethlisberger is expected to meet with the Pittsburgh Steelers next week to discuss both his future and his contract, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The two sides decided they should take time after the season before meeting to discuss next steps, sources said.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II made it clear in his annual Steelers press conference booth that Roethlisberger could not get back on his $ 41.2 million hit for the 2021 season, the last year of his contract.
“I think we went with Ben beforehand letting him know we couldn’t get him back under the current contract,” Rooney said last week. “I think he understands we have some work to do there. We will have more internal calls and more conversations with Ben, and we will need to know what the limit number is to finalize some of those decisions.”
The quarterback understands the situation and is willing to provide much-needed cap relief, sources told Fowler Saturday.
“I want to do everything I can and have made it very clear to them from the start that it was my idea to help the team as best I can this year,” Roethlisberger told The Athletic on January 28.
The Steelers can save about $ 14 million in the 2021 cap if they convert most of his base salary and roster bonus into a signing bonus, although they would carry that money over into future years.
While the Steelers need to determine the future of Roethlisberger, they also need to figure out the future of wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who will be hitting freestyle in March, and center Maurkice Pouncey, who is considering retiring.