A final thank you for Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger

After officially announcing his retirement, one has to be thankful for the time and memories that the Steelers shared with their franchise quarterback.

Thank you, Ben Roethlisberger. Thank you from a fan that can remember countless plays that you made, teams that you have led, and wins you achieved while with the Steelers. Thank you for being my quarterback. The one that I watched growing up. The one that I used to make the best in Madden.

Thank you for the growth you showed, the drive you have, and the rejuvenation you brought to this franchise. As a Steelers fan, I will not forget what you meant to this team and the passion you brought in every game. No matter the outcome, you always cared. You gave it your all on the field on every play, even when things seemed lost, and always kept us in the game. Thank you.

Steelers Roethlisberger announces his retirement

As everyone likely knows by now, Roethlisberger made his retirement official on Twitter with an emotional thank you. He leaves as one of the best to ever play and easily ranks among some of the team’s greats. He played 18 years, all with the Steelers, and while his regression was hard to watch at times, he was still the same gunslinger that he always was.

He leaves the team with countless records as he gave the team one of their most successful periods. He never suffered a losing season as a player despite playing alongside a variety of different players and offensive schemes. He leaves as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in the game and a lock for Canton once he is eligible to be inducted.

While many have grown tired of the veteran due to his decline in play (a natural occurrence at that age), seeing him officially go is hard. He is the only stable quarterback I have ever watched with this franchise, and he leaves the team in a state of huge transition. There will never be another Big Ben, and I am thrilled that I had the chance to watch him play.

From his miraculous pass to Santonio Holmes against the Cardinals to his literal shoe-string tackle after the Jerome Bettis fumble, Roethlisberger was a hero for the city of Pittsburgh for nearly 20 years. While the time has come for him to move on with his career, it doesn’t make the retirement any less emotional. Even in his final season, with the team struggling through a variety of issues, Roethlisberger left it all on the field.

As the Steelers get ready to transition into a new era, I wanted to take one last time to thank Roethlisberger for everything he meant to this team, this city, and to me as a fan. While I eagerly await where this franchise goes from here, a final thank you for a legendary career is in order. From the bottom of my heart, and the heart of everyone that supports this team, thank you for 18 incredible seasons. Your impact on this game and the Steelers won’t soon be forgotten about. Thank you, Ben Roethlisberger.