After 18 years in charge of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, Ben Roethlisberger has officially called it a career. With an announcement on Twitter, the veteran gunslinger confirmed that he's retiring from the NFL.

With a career full of success on the gridiron and some controversies off it, Roethlisberger often ranked among the league's finest passers, putting together a first-ballot Hall of Famer kind of résumé.

But after a couple of years of struggles with injuries and subpar performances, it seemed like a matter of time before he finally hung the cleats and walked away from the game with his head up.

Ben Roethlisberger Announces Retirement

"I don't know how to put into words what the game of football has meant to me and what a blessing it has been," Roethlisberger said. "While I know with confidence I have given my all to the game, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all it has given me. A boy from Finley, Ohio with NFL dreams, developed at Oxford at Miami University, blessed with the honor of 18 seasons as a Pittsburgh Steeler and a place to call home."

"The journey has been exhilarating, defined by relationships and fueled by a spirit of competition. Yet, the time has come to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats, and continue to be all I can be to my wife and children. I retire from football a truly grateful man," he added.

Funniest Memes And Reactions From Big Ben's Retirement

Needless to say, this news didn't go unnoticed by NFL Twitter, with countless people paying their respects and others making fun and sharing some hilarious remarks. Here, we gathered some of the funniest.

 

Big Ben had a legendary career. 2 Super Bowl rings, 165 wins, 418 touchdowns, and over 65,000 passing yards speak for itself. He doesn't leave the game without its fair share of detractors, though, but that's just a part of this business.