3 reasons Randy Fichtner’s departure could spell the end of Ben Roethlisberger
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers could be at the beginning of a rebuild
The Steelers really tried to give it one last hurrah in 2020, but they fell completely flat down the stretch. Now with all of the early coaching changes this offseason, it certainly feels like Pittsburgh could be at the beginning stages of a rebuild. This may be something Pittsburgh’s brass has already discussed with Roethlisberger. Obviously, Ben isn’t going to be part of their plans much longer.
Perhaps this was strategic by the Steelers as a way of trying to get Ben Roethlisberger to walk away from the game without having to give him an ultimatum. Even with a talented roster and a very good defense in 2020, Big Ben still couldn’t do enough to carry his team down the stretch. In fact, it was quite the opposite, as the Steelers aging quarterback proved to be detrimental to his team’s Super Bowl chances.
Even if Pittsburgh wants him to say, there is a chance that he will decline a return in 2021 due to the loss of Fichtner and all of the changes that are sure to take place this offseason.
light. Related Story. Pros and cons of Steelers keeping Ben Roethlisberger for 2021 season
Approaching 40 years old, I don’t blame Ben if he didn’t want to return this year, as learning a new offense with a new coordinator isn’t something that many players would want to do. If his poor play down the stretch wasn’t enough to make him consider retirement, perhaps losing the offensive coordinator he helped hire could prove to spell the end of the Ben Roethlisberger era.