The Ben Roethlisberger retirement talks are getting louder as the offseason progresses. While the Pittsburgh Steelers appear to remain firm that the veteran will be with them in the 2017 NFL season, many believe that this might be the last year for Big Ben. With this in mind, a Colin Kaepernick contract to the Antonio Brown team is anticipated soon.
The former San Francisco 49ers star had a difficult season which included the infamous political stance of Colin Kaepernick. While Chip Kelly and the rest of the staff kept mum about the issue, many criticized the quarterback for disrupting the chemistry of the team. Despite his controversies, Kap remained co-starter with Blaine Gabbert which demonstrated the staff's confidence in his talent in the gridiron. However, the offseason decisions of the NFL team later on proved otherwise.
Rumors are rife that the Pittsburgh Steelers plan to bank on a Colin Kaepernick contract to resolve their concerns over the looming Ben Roethlisberger retirement possibility. While no comment has been made by the parties tagged in this NFL rumor, the Antonio Brown team admitted that their veteran leader might be hanging his cleats soon.
"I think we've been in that mind-set for the last several years, that's what this business tells us to be in," shared Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin of the Ben Roethlisberger retirement possibility. "We better start sharpening our sword in terms of evaluation of quarterbacks and what's available to us or potentially available to us. That's just due diligence. So, yes, we have."
Meanwhile, many fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers are wary over a Colin Kaepernick contract in their roster. For one, they fear that the former San Francisco 49ers star might be too disruptive to the dynamics of the Antonio Brown group. More importantly, his particular skill set might not be good enough to fill in for Ben Roethlisberger. However, these concerns were shot down by Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh when he was asked about the problematic quarterback.
"He's too good a player," commented Harbaugh of Colin Kaepernick. "I mean, he's got to prove himself as a player. Colin knows that, he'd be the first to tell you that. You know, when you're the quarterback and you don't win, you're going to have to answer for that. But he'll get a chance again. Someone's going to sign him and he'll play in this league probably for a long time."
