Pittsburgh Steelers

Originally scheduled for last Thursday as part of the Thanksgiving schedule, the Week 12 game was delayed until Sunday amid a coronavirus outbreak in the Ravens camp.

It was then pushed back to Tuesday, and on Monday it was postponed by another 24 hours.

The depleted Ravens (6-4) placed three more starters on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday as they prepared to face AFC North rivals the Steelers (10-0).

The NFL confirmed the Week 12 clash had officially been moved to Wednesday, while two other games were also impacted.

The Steelers' home game against the Washington Football Team was moved from December 6 to December 7.

The Ravens' hosting of the Dallas Cowboys, meanwhile, was pushed back from December 3 to December 8.

"These decisions were made out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts," the NFL said.

Rodgers continued his good form as the Packers overcame the Detroit Lions 31-24 on Sunday, clinching the NFC North for the second straight year.

Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks were untroubled by the Jets, who slumped to 0-13.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to a second straight loss and Jalen Hurts inspired the Philadelphia Eagles on his first NFL start.

RODGERS HELPS PACKERS CLINCH

Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and went 26 of 33 for 290 yards in the Packers' win, while also rushing in for a score.

The quarterback connected with Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Robert Tonyan, Green Bay seeing out their win despite the Lions closing to within seven twice in the fourth quarter.

Adams caught a receiving TD in an eighth straight game, which is tied for the third longest streak in a single season in the Super Bowl era, as per NFL Research. Only Jerry Rice (12) and A.J. Green (nine) have had longer streaks.

As the Packers improved to 10-3, Detroit fell to 5-8 – including 1-5 at home – and saw quarterback Matthew Stafford replaced by Chase Daniel due to an upper-body injury.

WILSON WONDERFUL AGAINST WINLESS JETS

Seattle were untroubled by the Jets as Wilson completed 21 of 27 passes for 206 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in a 40-3 thrashing.

Wilson recorded his 15th career game with four-plus touchdowns, tied with Peyton Manning for the second most such games in a player's first nine seasons in the Super Bowl era, as per NFL Research. Only Dan Marino (16) has more.

The Seahawks star checked out in the third quarter for Seattle, who joined the Los Angeles Rams on a 9-4 record in the NFC West. Seattle and Los Angeles meet on December 27.

BILLS BEAT STEELERS, HURTS SHINES

The Buffalo Bills handed the Steelers a second straight loss with a 26-15 victory to close in on a first AFC East title since 1995.

Josh Allen was 24 of 43 for 238 yards, two touchdowns and an interception and Stefon Diggs had 130 receiving yards and a TD.

Now 10-3, the Bills moved clear of the Miami Dolphins (8-5) and New England Patriots (6-7) in the AFC East.

Handed their first loss of the season by the Washington Football Team last time out, the Steelers (11-2) are still clear of the Cleveland Browns (9-3) and Baltimore Ravens (7-5) in the AFC North.

In the defeat, the Steelers set an NFL record with a sack in 70 consecutive games. Pittsburgh surpassed the 1999-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers' all-time mark.

Replacing the struggling Carson Wentz, Hurts inspired the Eagles to an upset 24-21 win over the New Orleans Saints, whose nine-game winning streak was ended.

Hurts completed 17 of 30 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 106 yards on 18 carries.

He became the second quarterback all-time to beat a team on a winning streak of nine-plus games on his first career start, according to Stats Perform. He joined former Ram Ron Jaworski (1975).

Week 14 scores:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-14 Minnesota Vikings
Arizona Cardinals 26-7 New York Giants
Kansas City Chiefs 33-27 Miami Dolphins
Tennessee Titans 31-10 Jacksonville Jaguars
Dallas Cowboys 30-7 Cincinnati Bengals
Chicago Bears 36-7 Houston Texans
Denver Broncos 32-27 Carolina Panthers
Indianapolis Colts 44-27 Las Vegas Raiders
Seattle Seahawks 40-3 New York Jets
Green Bay Packers 31-24 Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 Atlanta Falcons
Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 New Orleans Saints
Washington Football Team 23-15 San Francisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills 26-15 Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Rodgers again powered the Packers, throwing four touchdown passes in a win over the Chicago Bears.

Despite their loss, the Bears clinched a playoff spot, as did the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams.

Meanwhile, Henry made history as the Titans won the AFC South, while the Washington Football Team claimed the NFC East.

RODGERS DOMINATES AGAIN AS PACKERS CLINCH TOP SEED

Rodgers completed 19 of 24 passes for 240 yards and four TDs in the Packers' 35-16 victory over the Bears.

The Packers quarterback connected for TDs with Robert Tonyan, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Dominique Dafney and Davante Adams.

Rodgers finished the regular season with 48 TD passes. Alongside Peyton Manning, they are the only players in NFL history with 45-plus TD passes in multiple seasons, according to NFL Research. They won the NFL MVP in each of the previous three instances.

While Green Bay finished with a 13-3 record, the 8-8 Bears also reached the playoffs.

HISTORY FOR HENRY AS TITANS WIN AFC SOUTH

The Titans claimed the AFC South for the first time since 2008 after a thrilling 41-38 win over the Houston Texans.

Henry became the eighth player in history to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a single season.

He had 250 rushing yards and two TDs against the Texans. Of the eight players to achieve the feat, Henry was the only one who needed 200-plus yards in his last game to get there, according to Stats Perform.

A.J. Brown had 151 receiving yards, but the Titans needed Sam Sloman's 37-yard field goal as time expired to edge the Texans.

The Titans became the first team in NFL history to have a 250-yard rusher and 150-yard receiver in the same game.

WASHINGTON WIN NFC EAST AS COLTS, RAMS REACH PLAYOFFS

The Washington Football Team claimed the NFC East thanks to a 20-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions as Washington (7-9) claimed the division.

The Colts (11-5) reached the playoffs thanks to a 28-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Los Angeles Rams (10-6) are also into the postseason after beating the Arizona Cardinals 18-7.

Week 17 scores:

Minnesota Vikings 37-35 Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 44-27 Atlanta Falcons
New England Patriots 28-14 New York Jets
Buffalo Bills 56-26 Miami Dolphins
Cleveland Browns 24-22 Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants 23-19 Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens 38-3 Cincinnati Bengals
Indianapolis Colts 28-14 Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans 41-38 Houston Texans
Los Angeles Rams 18-7 Arizona Cardinals
New Orleans Saints 33-7 Carolina Panthers
Green Bay Packers 35-16 Chicago Bears
Los Angeles Chargers 38-21 Kansas City Chiefs
Seattle Seahawks 26-23 San Francisco 49ers
Las Vegas Raiders 32-31 Denver Broncos
Washington Football Team 20-14 Philadelphia Eagles

Roethlisberger struggled again in Week 4 of the NFL season as the Steelers (1-3) suffered a third consecutive defeat, a 27-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

The 39-year-old two-time Super Bowl champion was just 26-of-40 passing for 232 yards a touchdown, interception and two sacks with a 78.3 quarterback rating.

Roethlisberger's 78.9 passer rating is fifth-worst this season, only ahead of Miami Dolphins QB Jacoby Brissett (77.8), Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Trevor Lawrence (66.4), first-year New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (62.8) and Davis Mills (50.4) of the Houston Texans.

"Absolutely," Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday when asked whether Roethlisberger remains the right quarterback for the offense.

"What he does and what he's done makes me really comfortable in saying that."

Tomlin added: "It's him some, it's us collectively some. We've just got to keep working. Sometimes it can be attributed to the altering of plans late in the week because of player availability or guys not being available....

"We've had some big-play opportunities, we [haven't] cashed in on them. We need to cash in on them.

"They're a big component of moving the ball and scoring, particularly when you're not working as efficiently as you like on possession downs, which we aren't.... We're also going to work to connect on a higher percentages of these chunk opportunities because that aids us in terms of ringing up the scoreboard, as well."

Through four games, seven-time Pro Bowler Roethlisberger has 109 completions 1,033 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions with 10 sacks.

Roethlisberger's completion percentage (64.1) is tied for 21st in the league, while his touchdown percentage (2.4) is the third worst in the NFL.

Asked if he was concerned about the level of Roethlisberger's safety behind the line, Tomlin said: "Not out of the ordinary. I'm sure if you reviewed the tape and looked at these visits [news conferences] from the first 11 weeks of last year and probably said similar things. He was upright and we were undefeated.

"There's probably a component of just being in your late 30s and playing this game and playing that position and particularly when you're not playing winning football and you get somewhat one dimensional, there's collateral damage that gets associated with that for him and for us."

"Ben used to be able to run really good when he was young," Tomlin said of this week's clash with the Denver Broncos. "Those days are behind him.

"Other than that, I don't see much that's not a discussion in terms of technical alterations or quality of play that can be improved."

Roethlisberger has been criticised and his future questioned amid Pittsburgh's 1-3 start to the 2021 campaign following three consecutive defeats.

The 39-year-old two-time Super Bowl champion was just 26-of-40 passing for 232 yards, a touchdown, interception and two sacks with a 78.3 quarterback rating in last week's 27-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

As Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin continues to field questions on Roethlisberger, the player himself took responsibility for the situation on Wednesday.

"I need to be better," Roethlisberger told reporters ahead of Sunday's clash with the Denver Broncos.

"I need to fight through and figure out how to make better decisions, how to make better throws, how to be a better football player. That's why I just said I'm not going to quit. I'm going to keep doing that.

"I'm not giving up on this season. No one in this building is. It's still early, and there's still a lot of fight left in us."

Roethlisberger's 78.9 passer rating is fifth-worst this season among qualifying quarterbacks, only ahead of Miami Dolphins backup Jacoby Brissett (77.8), Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Trevor Lawrence (66.4), first-year New York Jets QB Zach Wilson (62.8) and Davis Mills (50.4) of the Houston Texans.

His passer rating has decreased from 94.1 in 2020 – the third-largest drop (-15.2) behind Packers star Aaron Rodgers (-20.7) and Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill (-19.6).

Through four games, seven-time Pro Bowler Roethlisberger has 109 completions, 1,033 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions with 10 sacks.

Roethlisberger's completion percentage (64.1) is tied for 21st in the league, while his touchdown percentage (2.4) is the third-worst in the NFL.

"I know that I can play better football," Roethlisberger said. "I believe in myself. I know that no matter what's going on, I'm going to fight my butt off to get a win, and if that's the way I need to lead right now, by showing these guys that I'm going to do everything I can to win a football game, I'll keep doing that."

On Tuesday, Tomlin said Roethlisberger is dealing with a hip issue, and the latter added: "It's pretty sore. If I showed you the picture, you might not be too well to your stomach. It's a little black and blue.

"As a quarterback, there's so much involved in your lower body. People probably think as a quarterback or as a thrower, it's 'how's your arm doing?' Your arm is honestly a small part compared to the whole package. It's your core. It's your lower body.

"I've got to find ways to be better with my lower body. Going back and watching the game, a few times, a lot of throws I missed were missed because my lower body wasn't in sync."

The unbeaten Steelers confirmed on Tuesday that quarterback Roethlisberger, offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins, running back Jaylen Samuels and linebacker Vince Williams are isolating for at least five days.

The quartet are permitted to take part in virtual meetings and must test negative before they can be considered for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field.

The announcement was made a day after tight end Vance McDonald was placed on the list after testing positive for the virus.

The Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 24-19 to move to 8-0 at the top of the AFC North on Sunday.

Veteran quarterback Roethlisberger, offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins, running back Jaylen Samuels and linebacker Vince Williams were added to the list on Tuesday. 

However, the quartet are now able to face the Bengals at Heinz Field on Sunday, though tight end Vance McDonald remains sidelined following a positive COVID-19 test. 

The Steelers are 8-0 and go into Week 10 as the only unbeaten team left in the NFL. Had Roethlisberger been ineligible, Pittsburgh would have become the first team since the Denver Broncos in 1998 to change their starting quarterback with an unbeaten record and at least eight or more wins. 

Roethlisberger has thrown for 1,934 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. 

He will be up against Bengals rookie Joe Burrow, who has passed 330 times, has five 300-yard games and averages 284.0 yards per contest with a record of 2-5-1 after eight starts in the league. 

At the same point in his debut season in 2004, Roethlisberger had attempted 172 passes, had no 300-yard games and averaged 176.5 yards game. However, the Steelers were 8-0.

Herbert capped off an impressive performance by throwing a 53-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams with just over two minutes remaining as the Chargers avoided a dramatic collapse after holding off Roethlisberger's rallying Steelers 41-37.

The 23-year-old became the first player in NFL history with 380-plus passing yards and 90-plus rushing yards in a game.

He finished 30-of-41 passing for 382 yards and three TDs, while he rushed for another 90 yards – the most by a Chargers quarterback in a game.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Roethlisberger said: "They're a really good football team. It starts with their quarterback. 

"He's a great young football player. Ran all over the place today, made throws. What a special talent, he's the next generation."

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley was equally effusive in his praise of his quarterback following the tight win in Los Angeles.

"He was fantastic in the game today. He was the best player on the field. He's got real instincts at the game," Staley said.

"He threw the football at a really high-level tonight, kept himself protected, stayed turnover free… it was just real quarterbacking today and I'm really really proud of him."

The Chargers were ahead 27-10 entering the final quarter before the Steelers fought back to sensationally take a 37-34 lead with just over three minutes remaining, before Herbert's throw found Williams for the winning touchdown.

"It turned into a wild ride, but we were ready for it," Staley said about his team's performance. 

"We played nine games before today where we've been preparing for a fourth quarter like that, and when the fourth quarter happened the way it did, our guys stayed connected. 

"We played our best at the end, we finished the game on our terms, and I can't say enough about our players and coaches because that's as good a win as we've had."

After undergoing surgery on an elbow injury that ended his 2019 season following just two games, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a 26-16 victory in his return on Monday.

Roethlisberger completed 21 of 32 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns as the Steelers started their 2020 season with a win.

But the veteran quarterback was full of praise for the Steelers' defense, who intercepted Daniel Jones twice and sacked the Giants QB three times.

"They're unbelievable. Unfortunately, I have to face them every day in practice," Roethlisberger told reporters.

"They're one of the best defenses I've played with and I've played with some really good ones so I'm excited to be on the football field with them.

"As a quarterback, they allow you to play more free because if you do make a mistake you can count on them to bail you out of it and they did it tonight numerous times, creating turnovers, big stops, I just can't say enough about the way they play."

A two-time Super Bowl winner, the 38-year-old Roethlisberger is in his 17th season in the NFL.

While there was talk Roethlisberger could retire after his elbow injury, the QB was happy to be back.

"I'm excited we won the game. I told the guys before the game it's not about me, individually the reason I came back is for these guys, for this team," he said.

"It's a special group of football players and men and so I'm just thankful to be a part of it."

Roethlisberger played just two games last season before undergoing elbow surgery, but the veteran quarterback made a fine return on Monday.

He completed 21 of 32 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns as the Steelers beat the New York Giants 26-16.

Roethlisberger was full of praise for the Steelers' defense, who intercepted Daniel Jones twice and sacked the Giants QB three times.

He connected twice with JuJu Smith-Schuster, with the Steelers scoring 23 unanswered points after falling 10-3 behind in the second quarter.

Benny Snell Jr. rushed for 113 yards on 19 carries for the Steelers, who saw Zach Banner (knee), Stefen Wisniewski (pectoral) and James Conner (ankle) suffer injuries.

Giants star Saquon Barkley was limited to just six rushing yards on 15 carries, while he had 60 receiving yards.

The Titans edged the Denver Broncos 16-14 in their opener at Sports Authority Field.

Ryan Tannehill (29 of 43 for 249 yards) threw touchdown passes to MyCole Pruitt and Jonnu Smith, but the Titans trailed heading into the final minute.

Making his debut for the Titans, Stephen Gostkowski became the first kicker to miss his four kicks in his first game with a team since Dennis Partee did so for the San Diego Chargers in 1968, as per STATS.

But he got another chance with 17 seconds remaining and drilled a 25-yard field goal to lift Tennessee to victory.

Titans star Derrick Henry rushed for 116 yards on 31 carries.

Roethlisberger, 38, left the field before half-time during the Steelers' 24-19 NFL victory on Sunday after a suspected knee injury.

But the star QB had no doubt he would be okay after helping the Steelers improve to 8-0 for the first time in their history.

"No, I'll be fine, thank you for asking," Roethlisberger told reporters.

He earlier said: "Someone hit me right in the side of the knee, it felt like it kind of bent my knee a little bit.

"It's part of the game of football, guys get hit all the time, I just had some discomfort so we thought at the end of the half we'll head in and get it looked at.

"Doctors wanted me to keep them updated in the second half so I was just keeping it loose and keeping it warm."

Roethlisberger joined Tom Brady as the only QBs in NFL history to lead their teams to an 8-0 start at age 38 or older (must have started all eight games).

He completed 29 of 42 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns, including connecting with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Eric Ebron as Pittsburgh scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

"I'm just really proud of the way the guys fought and just played good football," Roethlisberger said.

"We didn't do what we wanted to do, we didn't control the ball, we didn't convert on third downs a lot, but we found a way to win.

"We've got to stop playing so ugly on offense, but it [Dallas] is a good team."

The veteran quarterback addressed the swirling speculation about his future with the only franchise he has ever known on Thursday, telling The Athletic that he has approached the Steelers about restructuring the final year of his contract.

"I want to do everything I can and made that very clear to them from the very beginning that it was my idea to basically help the team however I can this year," Roethlisberger said. 

Speaking to a group of reporters earlier, Steelers president Art Rooney II affirmed that Roethlisberger has informed the team of his desire to play an 18th NFL season but added that keeping the two-time Super Bowl champion on the roster would be unfeasible with the Steelers' current salary cap situation.

Roethlisberger has a $41.25million cap hit for 2021, the highest of any player, and next year's cap is expected to drastically decrease due to a loss in league revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"I think we've been up front with Ben in letting him know that we couldn't have him back under the current contract. I think he understands we have some work to do there," said Rooney per ESPN.

"We'll have conversations internally, and we'll have more conversations with Ben, and we'll have to know what the cap number is to finalise some of those decisions."

Rooney would not say whether the Steelers would ask Roethlisberger to take a pay cut instead of restructuring his deal to spread the remaining $22.5m in guaranteed money across future seasons.  

He said: "I think that those are discussions we'll have with Ben and his representative. It takes two to figure that out, and whether we can agree with what he wants, we'll just have to see."

Rooney added the Steelers remain open to Roethlisberger, who turns 39 in March, returning next season despite his advanced age and decline in play during the second half of a 2020 campaign that ended with a disappointing home loss to the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild Card playoff round. 

"We owe it to him to have a conversation about how he wants to end his career, and we intend to that," he said.

Roethlisberger made a successful comeback from a career-threatening elbow injury that limited him to two games in 2019, though his effectiveness waned as last season wore on.

The six-time Pro Bowler threw for 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions while producing a 103.0 passer rating through the first nine games – all Pittsburgh wins. He was intercepted six times with an 83.2 rating over the next six as the Steelers went 3-3 and eventually dropped to the AFC's number three playoff seed.

Roethlisberger did set an NFL postseason record with 47 completions while throwing for 501 yards and four touchdowns in Pittsburgh's lone playoff game but was picked off four times as the Steelers were dealt a 48-37 loss to the Browns.

Despite the rough ending to 2020 for himself and his team, Roethlisberger expressed confidence that both remain capable of performing at a high level next season.

"I am pretty sure I want to go one more year," he said. "I think I can do it and give us a real chance at winning."

Roethlisberger underwent surgery on his right throwing elbow in September and was expected to make a full recovery and return for the 2020 NFL season, though question marks remain.

There has been speculation the 37-year-old – who turns 38 next month – and two-time Super Bowl champion could retire but Colbert said Roethlisberger is on track in his rehab.

"All signs are good at this point, and where that goes, we're hopeful he can make a complete recovery," Colbert said. "As of right now, he's on schedule for that. Where it goes from here remains to be seen.

"He had an injury to his right arm, but other than that, he's relatively healthy. We're not minimising the right arm injury to a right arm quarterback, but we don't think he's at the end of the road."

Colbert added: "Optimistically, [Roethlisberger] is on schedule to return and we hope to return to maybe even a better Ben Roethlisberger than he was previous to the injury.

"In the meantime, we understand who our backups are. We're comfortable with who those backups are. I thought they did a great, representable job in 2019 under the circumstances."

Steelers veteran Roethlisberger suffered the injury in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Roethlisberger, who hurt his right elbow in a 28-26 loss to the Seahawks, was seen shaking his throwing arm at various points during the first half of the team's home opener and even left for the locker room before returning to the sideline to play through the injury.

In April, the six-time Pro Bowler signed a two-year contract extension with the Steelers through the 2021 season.

Since being drafted by the Steelers in 2004, Roethlisberger has played 218 games, and completed 4,651 passes for 56,545 yards and 363 touchdowns.

The Steelers veteran was hit 10 times and sacked twice in Pittsburgh's 26-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.

Roethlisberger was also sacked twice in the Steelers' 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.

The 39-year-old is nursing a left pectoral injury which will impact his preparation for the Bengals game, and potentially his on-field role.

"We'd better be ready to be adjustable," Tomlin told NFL Network.

"He took too many hits. We can run the ball better. We can get the ball out of his hand quicker.

"We can stay on schedule and not get behind the sticks and get in situations where the line of the game is so far that that that enhances the rush."

Tomlin added that he was unsure how Roethlisberger picked up the pec complaint.

"I don't know specifically when Ben got injured in game. I don't know that he does," he said.

"Sometimes just in the midst of competition, adrenaline and so forth, you just don't know. Sometimes things just come up after."

The Steelers have numerous injuries including T.J. Witt, Alex Highsmith, Devin Bush and Joe Haden.

Roethlisberger revealed in January that he is planning to return for an 18th NFL season, ideally with the Steelers. Such is his desire to stay with the franchise, the 38-year-old confirmed a willingness to restructure his contract.  

That current deal would see him count for $41.25million against the salary cap – a number that may be too high for Pittsburgh's taste. 

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, general manager Kevin Colbert said Roethlisberger could yet continue with the franchise, though stopped short of making any commitment to a player they selected with the 11th pick in the 2004 draft. 

"As we sit here today, Ben is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers," Colbert said, according to ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor. 

"He reiterated to us that he wants to continue to play. We told him we have to look at this current situation." 

Roethlisberger threw for 3,803 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2020, helping the Steelers finish the regular season with a 12-4 record that was enough to win the AFC North.  

However, after reaching 11-0 at one stage, they suffered a late-season slump that continued into the playoffs, as they lost 48-37 to divisional rivals the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round.  

"Ben Roethlisberger did a lot of really good things last year. We anticipate that he could still do really good things going forward," Colbert continued.  

"Hopefully we can figure out how to do what's best for the organisation and for Ben. Hopefully he'll be able to see that." 

Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin had said it was "reasonable to assume there is a chance" of Roethlisberger returning for another campaign following the surprising postseason exit.  

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Roethlisberger threw four touchdowns and 501 yards but was also picked off four times in the defeat to the Browns on January 10. 

The 38-year-old underwent surgery on his right elbow in September last year after appearing in just two games of the 2019 season. 

Roethlisberger will be entering his 17th NFL season and ranks fifth among active quarterbacks with 363 passing touchdowns and fourth with 56,545 yards. 

"It's hearsay because I have not witnessed his workouts," Tomlin said of the 2004 first-round pick during a Zoom media call. 

"I have communicated with him consistently throughout. He's comfortable and pleased with where he is. 

"Some of the people that have had an opportunity to work out with him have been impressed and are pleased with where he is. 

"The medical experts are comfortable with where he is in the rehabilitation process and the overall trajectory of his readiness for 2020. Those things being said, I'm comfortable with where he is." 

With Roethlisberger absent, Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges struggled in his place. 

The two combined for 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, the Steelers averaging 186.3 passing yards from Week 3 through the end of the season – ranking them 31st in the NFL. 

The Steelers are due to play their first preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on August 7 as part of their preparations ahead of a Week 1 trip to the New York Giants.

That opener is due to take place on September 14 and while the coronavirus pandemic has cast doubts over the planned schedule, Tomlin has a positive outlook over the 2020 season.

"I'm hopeful. I am always an optimistic person," said Tomlin, who also said he expects to play preseason games.

"I have been a part of the process. When you are a part of the process, I sit on committees, I've had intimate conversations with logistical people and professionals.

"There is probably greater comfort when you are part of the process than when you are on the outside, so it allows me to be optimistic about both things."

There was to be no magical ending for Roethlisberger as Pittsburgh fell to a 42-21 reverse against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round on Sunday.

The Steelers quarterback threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-44 passing, but he also had to watch Patrick Mahomes' brilliance cut open his side and end their postseason bid.

While Roethlisberger has not specifically said he is retiring, he hinted at as much after bidding a tearful farewell to Heinz Field following a Week 17 win over the Cleveland Browns.

On Sunday, the two-time Super Bowl winner, who has donned the Steelers' black and gold for his entire career, spoke glowingly of his time in Pittsburgh as he looked back on his time with the franchise.

He said post-game: "Yeah it's tough, but I'm proud to play with these guys. God has blessed me with an ability to throw a football and has blessed me to play in the greatest city, in Pittsburgh, with the greatest fans and the greatest football team and players. 

"And it has just been truly a blessing, and I'm so thankful to him for the opportunity that he's given me.

"Just a bunch of guys that fought for each other, that fought their butts off and just competed. It wasn't always pretty, but there are a lot of games that we found a way. 

"I'm so proud of this group of men and the way they fight for each other, for the black and gold, for our fans. It's just been an honour to play with them."

Roethlisberger's opposite number Mahomes finished with 404 passing yards and five touchdowns, and the veteran heaped praise on his fellow quarterback, who will next face the Buffalo Bills.

Mahomes responded in kind as he congratulated Roethlisberger on his Hall of Fame career.

"[He is] a tremendous player that I have a ton of respect for – the way he plays the game, the competitor that he is," Mahomes said. 

"He's won Super Bowls. He's a guy that I've watched growing up, and I have a ton of respect for him. That's what I told him, that if this is his last game, he did it the right way."

Roethlisberger is now hoping this Steelers team can carry on the legacy he has left behind.

"I've been here a long time, and it's been a lot of fun," Roethlisberger added. 

"Like I said, God has blessed me. We joke about the Browns and going there [in the NFL Draft], but it was meant to be that I was going to wear black and gold. Draft day I had a black suit on with a gold tie.

"I'm just so thankful. I hope that I'm able to pass the legacy of what it is to be a Steeler from Dan Rooney. We all miss him, anyone that knew him misses him. 

"Hopefully I can pass some of that on to some of the guys and they can continue the tradition of what it means to be a Steeler and get passed down.

"Whenever you get a bunch of new guys, once you start to lose some of the old regime if you will, you've got to find ways to pass it down. 

"And we've got some guys in there that will continue to do that. I gave Cam [Heyward] a big hug and told him it's on him now. It's his job to pass it down and to keep teaching and holding guys to the Pittsburgh standard."

As Roethlisberger prepares for whatever the next challenge is that is thrown his way, he remains thankful for the opportunities he has had, including the Steelers' improbable progression to the playoffs following a dramatic end to the regular season.

"We thought last week was going to be the end," he continued. "We didn't know what was going to happen and God blessed me to play another football game. 

"It didn't end the way we wanted it to. But it's a blessing to be able to play this game. I try and tell those guys how lucky we are that we get to play football for a living. We need to count our blessings and understand how lucky we are. 

"We're out there getting beat up and this and that, but we get to entertain millions of fans and throw, catch, run, do what we've all done as kids. That's our job and when we say our prayers thank God for that.

"I don't know if it's emotional because it's the end of the season. I mean, this would be emotional no matter what. We never like to lose and go out and I'll miss these guys. It'll probably really hit me come training camp time."

Roethlisberger has reportedly former team-mates and people within the Steelers organisation that he expects 2021 to be his final season with Pittsburgh.

There were doubts over the 39-year-old quarterback before he committed to another campaign in Pittsburgh.

Drafted by the Steelers in 2004, six-time Pro Bowler Roethlisberger has guided the franchise to two Super Bowl victories during his career at Heinz Field.

After helping the Steelers hold off the high-flying Ravens on Sunday, Roethlisberger dismissed the report as he refused to be drawn on his future.

"I haven't told everybody that, no," Roethlisberger said at the post-game news conference after the Steelers snapped a two-game skid and three-game winless run in total. "Honestly, we've just got done with this game, I'm exhausted.

"We play in a couple hours, it feels like. That's my focus. My focus is on Minnesota and what we have to do to get ready.

"I'll address any of that stuff after the season. I've always been a one-game-at-a-time, one-season-at-a-time person. I'm going to stay that way."

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin insisted there was no distraction to manage, fresh from Roethlisberger throwing two touchdown passes, completing 21 of 31 attempts for 236 yards, to beat the Ravens.

"There's nothing to manage," Tomlin said at the news conference. "Ben doesn't allow it to become an issue.

"Ben has been pretty solid in terms of his expressions that he's singularly focused on what it is that we're doing now. He'll deal with those things on the other side of this journey, and I'm with him on it."

Last week in an article published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger said one of the reasons the Steelers faltered in the playoffs in the last few seasons was because young players today are more focused on personal goals rather than team goals.

"I feel like the game has changed," he said. "I feel like the people have changed in a sense. Maybe it's because I got spoiled when I came in. The team was so important. It was all about the team.

"Now, it's about me and this, that and the other. I might be standing on a soapbox a little bit, but that's my biggest takeaway from when I started to the end. It turned from a team-first to a me-type attitude. It was hard."

Those comments did not sit well with Heyward, a team-mate of Roethlisberger from 2011 until the future Hall of Fame quarterback retired following the 2021 season.

"We have a lot of young players that come from different backgrounds, have experienced different things from what others or I may have experienced," Heyward said on his own Not Just Football podcast on Wednesday. "That doesn't make them selfish or more of a me-type attitude. There are a lot more team-first guys than me-type attitude. I took offense to that."

On Thursday, Roethlisberger walked back on his comments.

"I probably should've been more detailed, more specific," Roethlisberger told 102.5 DVE in Pittsburgh. "It's not the majority of guys are that way."

The 40-year-old Roethlisberger played for the Steelers for his entire 18-year career in the NFL, leading the franchise to a pair of Super Bowl championships, eight AFC North Division titles and 12 playoff berths.

However, much of that success came in the first half of Roethlisberger's career, as Pittsburgh have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season, losing its last three postseason appearances.

"I get Cam supporting his team-mates," Roethlisberger said. "I wasn't trying to bash anyone specifically, I was just making a broad stroke comment. I agree with him and I should've been more clear. The majority of guys on that team are team-first guys."

The Steelers opened camp on Wednesday ushering in a new era with Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and rookie Kenny Pickett competing to replace the retired Roethlisberger.

On Monday, he shared a video proving he had earned his grooming.  

Roethlisberger posted a clip to Twitter showing himself throwing to team-mates, indicating the 38-year-old has made a full recovery from the operation that ended his season in 2019.  

The video begins with Roethlisberger explaining his promise to himself last year. 

"I'm not going to shave or cut my hair until I can throw a football again … throw it to one of my team-mates, like a legit NFL pass," he said.  

Roethlisberger is then shown firing passes at Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania to wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ryan Switzer, along with running back James Conner.  

The video ends with Roethlisberger's hair cut and Smith-Schuster looking directly at the camera to declare: "He's back." 

The Steelers managed an 8-8 record last season despite a series of injuries to key contributors, especially on offense.  

Roethlisberger injured his throwing elbow in Week 2 in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks, while Conner missed six games and Smith-Schuster sat for four games.  

Mason Rudolph was Roethlisberger's primary replacement at quarterback, playing 10 games, but undrafted rookie Devlin Hodges made six starts, including in each of the season's last five games.  

Roethlisberger, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, has led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances and two titles in his 16 seasons with the team.  

He has a career 94.0 passer rating and is Pittsburgh's all-time passing leader with 56,545 yards and 363 touchdowns.