We were left with more questions than answers by the close of Mike Tomlin’s final press conference of the 2020 season.
A big question heading in was what the Steelers plan to do about quarterback Ben Roethlisberger whose current contract expires at the end of the 2021 season.
When WPXI sportscaster Alby Oxenreiter asked Tomlin whether it was realistic to expect Roethlisberger to return given the salary cap implications, Tomlin said, “I think it is reasonable to assume that there is a chance that he will be back, certainly.”
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The return of Roethlisberger comes with a $41 million salary-cap hit or 23 percent of the overall cap, according to OverTheCap.com. The contract will pay him $19 million — $4 million in base salary and a $15 million roster bonus due March 15. The remaining $22.25 million is a prorated bonus, which accounts as dead money or money that Pittsburgh will be responsible for, even if Ben is released or retires.
Tomlin claims he’s not privy to the Steelers current salary cap situation. “I’m very much in the information gathering stage there,” he said.
Whatever the Steelers decide, we’ll know before March 15 when that $15 million bonus is due.
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