AFC Team Tried to Unretire Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger

The former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback was given another chance to come back to the NFL.

Jan 16, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half in an AFC Wild Card playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is closing in on his first opportunity to be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But as one of the best to play the game, teams are still checking in to see if he has any interest in a return - with the New York Jets being the most recent.

During an appearance on the Nate Bargatze podcast, Roethlisberger revealed that the Jets reached out after Aaron Rodgers tore his achilles two seasons ago. Quickly, the former Steelers quarterback shut down the offer.

"When guys go down, your agent will call you," Roethlisberger said. "When Aaron got hurt in New York with his achilles, my agent would be like, 'hey, any interest?' I'm like, 'zero.'"

The Jets instead went with Zach Wilson and a rotation of quarterbacks as they tried to keep their season alive as long as possible. Reaching out to Roethlisberger would make sense, bringing in a veteran who they believed could help bring them to a Super Bowl, which is where they thought they'd be headed with Rodgers.

But Big Ben is comfortable is retirement it seems. The now 43-year-old last played in 2021 and is two seasons away from being eligable for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

So, instead of heading back and putting on a new team's jersey, Roethlisberger is staying in retirement.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, breakdowns and more!