Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger played his final game at Heinz Field on Monday night and he’s set to play what could be his final NFL game anywhere in Baltimore this weekend.
While Roethlisberger and the Steelers would like to make it to the playoffs, the final ride coming in Baltimore would provide a nice bookend to Roethlisberger’s career. He made his first NFL appearance in Baltimore in Week Two of the 2004 season when he came on for Tommy Maddox and went 12-of-20 for 176 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 30-13 loss.
On Wednesday, Roethlisberger joked that he won’t be going on a repeat of the farewell lap he took at Heinz Field unless Terrell Suggs “wants to go with me” but he did appreciate the full circle aspect that comes to the location of Week 18’s game.
“The first game I ever played in the NFL was there,” Roethlisberger said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com. “And it was Ed Reed and [Haloti] Ngata, Suggs, [Ray] Lewis. You could go down a whole list of guys, and so it was never a lot of fun to play those guys. I think it’s a lot of respect, and it’s going to be pretty cool.”
Roethlisberger has played many memorable games against the Ravens over the years. Having another on Sunday would be a fitting way to put his chapter of the rivalry between the teams to bed.
