Ben Roethlisberger‘s retirement left a huge hole on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who hope to fix their problems at quarterback with Aaron Rodgers. A former NFL player, however, believes that Mike Tomlin doesn’t get enough criticism for the team’s struggles at the position since Big Ben‘s departure.
Emmanuel Acho, who played linebacker in the NFL from 2012 to 2015, recently took aim at Tomlin during an episode of “The Facility” show on FS1, blaming the Steelers head coach for the team’s current quarterback situation.
“The biggest thing we turn a blind eye to in all of sports is Mike Tomlin’s complete negligence of the quarterback situation,” Acho said Friday, via Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. “You would suggest that it’s malpractice, what he’s doing with the quarterback situation with the Steelers.”
Tomlin, Steelers have yet to find adequate replacement for Roethlisberger
Roethlisberger made the Steelers forget about the quarterback position for 18 years, leading their offense in great fashion from 2004 to 2021. He had already won a Super Bowl as a starter when Tomlin took over in 2007 and went on to win another ring in 2009.
Ben Roethlisberger, the legend of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Big Ben came close to delivering another Vince Lombardi trophy in 2011, but Rodgers stood in his way as the Green Bay Packers beat Tomlin’s Steelers by six points in Super Bowl XLV.
see also
Aaron Rodgers’ net worth: How much money does the legendary quarterback have?
The Steelers struggled to make deep playoff runs since then, but Roethlisberger always provided stability at quarterback—something the team has lacked since he called it a career in 2021.
Tomlin handed the reins to Kenny Pickett after using a first-round pick to draft him in 2022, but the team moved on from the Pittsburgh product after only two seasons to sign both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for a fair price in 2024. Still, the team couldn’t get past the Wild Card round in the postseason.
Rodgers could be great fit for Steelers, but his future is unclear
Now, Tomlin and the Steelers have their sights set on Rodgers, a quarterback with a proven track record of success and Super Bowl experience. The 41-year-old, however, is taking his time to make a decision.
SurveyDoes Mike Tomlin deserve blame for the Steelers QB situation after Big Ben?
Does Mike Tomlin deserve blame for the Steelers QB situation after Big Ben?
already voted 0 people
The Steelers appear to be his most likely landing spot, but retirement could also be on the cards. The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, aren’t completely ruled out, despite their intention to promote J.J. McCarthy.
