Ben Roethlisberger stats: Steelers quarterback ends NFL career with all-time excellent assists

The Big Ben era is officially over.

Longtime Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement Thursday morning, saying in a video posted to his Twitter account that he was leaving the NFL as “a truly grateful man.”

“The journey has been exhilarating, defined by relationships and fueled by a competitive spirit,” Roethlisberger said. “Still, now is the time to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats, and continue to be all I can be to my wife and kids.”

The Steelers’ loss to the Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Playoff Round marked the end of a career that spanned 18 seasons, all accompanied by the franchise selecting Roethlisberger in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft.

Let’s take a look at his statistics for his last season and his career as a whole.

MORE: Assessment of Roethlisberger’s Hall of Fame case

Ben Roethlisberger’s 2021 season stats

Roethlisberger finished with one of the least impressive stat lines in his nearly two-decade tenure with the Steelers. Roethlisberger threw for 3,740 yards, a total that barely shattered his best 10 seasons. He also reached a career-low rating for yards per attempt (6.2) excluding the 2019 season in which he played just two games.

The numbers weren’t that surprising considering Roethlisberger is nearing his 40th birthday and has suffered several significant injuries over the years. This version of Roethlisberger just didn’t have the same level of athleticism and arm strength as the first Big Ben.

* Missed Week 10 vs Lions

Ben Roethlisberger career stats with the Steelers

Despite a difficult final stretch, Roethlisberger has achieved an incredible overall performance. He finished fifth on the all-time passing yards list behind only Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. He also landed in the top five all-time lists for completions and pass attempts, and he finished eighth on the all-time list for passing touchdowns.

Perhaps Roethlisberger’s most notable career stat: 41 fourth-quarter comebacks, the third-most in NFL history behind only Peyton Manning (43) and Tom Brady (42).

* Did not start in two games (2004 and 2015)

Ben Roethlisberger career honors

• Two-time Super Bowl champion: Roethlisberger struggled in Super Bowl 40, completing just nine passes for 123 yards without a touchdown and two interceptions. He fared much better in Super Bowl 43, throwing for 256 passing yards and hitting Santonio Holmes in the back of the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
• Six times Pro Bowler: Roethlisberger was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007, 2011 and 2014-17. His 2007 and 2014 seasons were his best individual campaigns in terms of quarterback rankings.
• Two-time NFL passing yards leader: Roethlisberger threw for 4,952 yards in 2014 and 5,129 yards in 2018. He also led the league in completions and attempts in 2018.
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Roethlisberger was originally scheduled to sit behind Tommy Maddox in his rookie season, but after Maddox was injured in Game 2 of the 2004 campaign, Roethlisberger became the starter. He finished 13-0 in the regular season, rushing for 2,261 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.