Ben Roethlisberger 'had discussions' with 49ers after Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo injuries
How close was former Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger to stepping in at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers last season?
According to Roethlisberger, he was in contact with the 49ers after Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo both went down with injuries in 2022. Roethlisberger, who turned 41 earlier this month, confirmed to Mark Madden of Pittsburgh's 105.9 The X on Tuesday that discussions took place.
“They were, I think, reaching out maybe just to gauge my interest,” Roethlisberger told Madden, via SteelersNow.com. “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.”
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Of course, the 49ers turned to third-string rookie Brock Purdy to run the offense down the stretch. Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 draft, played well until an elbow injury sidelined him in the NFC championship game.
It would have been interesting to see Roethlisberger picking up the 49ers' offense, but the two-time Super Bowl champion retired at the end of the 2021 season and likely wasn't in game shape.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger: 49ers reached out after QB injuries
