Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is retired, but he remains in the game, thanks to his podcast. And he used his podcast platform to elaborate on some recent comments he made elsewhere regarding the possibility of an unretirement in 2022.
He told Mark Madden of 105.9 The X last month that the 49ers were interested in Roethlisbeger at one point last season, as San Francisco was losing quarterbacks to injury.
“They were, I think, reaching out maybe just to gauge my interest,” Roethlisberger told Madden, via SteelersNow.com in March. “I had discussions. . . . I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was a small part of me that was intrigued. I could still do it and prove to people that I could still play. At the end of the day, I just can’t see myself in anything other than black and gold.”
The issue came up again in the latest episode of Footbahlin’ with Ben Roethlisberger.
“Listen, again, I’ll reiterate,” Roethlisberger said, “it was them calling my agent just to gauge interest. . . . They called but, again, I’ll reiterate. It was gauging interest.”
It’s still noteworthy that the call was made. They wouldn’t have been trying to gauge Ben’s interest in them if they weren’t interested in him. And he wasn’t.
The comments came up in the context of the question of whether the 49ers would try to get quarterback Aaron Rodgers if the Green Bay trade to the Jets doesn’t go through. Although it wouldn’t be crazy for the 49ers, who wanted to trade for Rodgers two years ago, to be interested in Rodgers, it still remains highly likely that Rodgers inevitably will be a member of the Jets.
It also remains highly likely that Ben won’t be coming back -- unless that call would come at some point from the Steelers. Which while not impossible is almost as unlikely as Big Ben playing for the 49ers.
