The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been quiet on the free agent front several days into one of the league’s busiest transaction periods, made a major announcement this afternoon regarding the face of the franchise.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s contract was extended, as first reported on Twitter by Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The team planned a press conference for 5 pm on Friday to make the deal official and to announce specific details.
Any extension will make it very likely that Roethlisberger remains with the team throughout the rest of his career, and it may also make more room on the upcoming season’s salary cap.
Roethlisberger is entering the eighth and final year of a $102 million deal he signed in 2008, and the team had considered this extension an offseason priority. Check back for more details as they become available on Pittsburgh Sporting News.
UPDATE: According to Art Rooney II, the new deal is for five years.
“It’s hard to contain a smile when you’re excited to be home…and to be here for my whole career,” Roethlisberger said.
He also called it a “fair deal for both sides”, saying that he never wavered in his decision to want to stay with the team for the long-term.
“Our first goal is to win Lombardi trophies,” he said. “We’ve got a young team with a lot of talent and ability.”
