Roethlisberger gets more than $36 million in guarantees in new deal
By Michael Smith ESPN.com
Updated: March 3, 2008, 12:01 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have agreed to a new eight-year, $102 million contract, according to sources.
The contract, which includes more than $36 million in guarantees and is easily the largest in team history, places Big Ben among the game's highest-paid players. In comparison, Peyton Manning received a $34.5 million signing bonus in his big deal and Michael Vick received $37 million in guarantees from the Falcons in his mega deal. Both Manning's and Vick's deals were signed in 2004.
Roethlisberger now joins Manning, Brett Favre, Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb and the suspended Vick in the $100 million quarterback club.
Roethlisberger's agents, Ryan and Bruce Tollner of REP 1 Sports, traveled to Pittsburgh and finalized the deal with the Steelers late Sunday night.
"Ben has been an outstanding leader on the field for the Steelers since his rookie year and we are very happy to know that he will be our quarterback for many years to come," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement.
Roethlisberger, who turned 26 on Sunday, is coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he completed more than 65 percent of his passes with a tean-record 32 touchdowns and an efficiency rating of 104.1, leading the Steelers to an AFC North title and the playoffs for the third time in his four seasons.
Roethlisberger, who two years ago became the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl, grew as a team leader last season and bounced back from a disappointing 2006 where his offseason was marred by a serious motorcycle accident and an appendectomy.
In addition to a pay raise, the Steelers are also in the process of adding another weapon to Roethlisberger's arsenal. Pittsburgh hosted former Vikings running back Mewelde Moore on Sunday and his signing appears imminent.
Moore will provide Pittsburgh's offense with the legitimate receiving threat out of the backfield it had lacked. He's also likely to serve as the team's primary kickoff and punt returner.
Michael Smith is a senior writer for ESPN.com. ESPN.com's John Clayton contributed to this report. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
I don't believe Ben is even in the same stratosphere talent wise as those other $100 million guys yet. I know he has a SB ring and he has some potential, but talk about overpaying. That's my opinion anyway.
That's a lot of money but given the quarterback situation in the NFL, his age and his track record, I can't knock the Steelers for locking him up. And I definitely disagree with the notion that he doesn't compare well with the other $100 million guys, especially Vick, Palmer and McNabb.
Fios wrote:That's a lot of money but given the quarterback situation in the NFL, his age and his track record, I can't knock the Steelers for locking him up. And I definitely disagree with the notion that he doesn't compare well with the other $100 million guys, especially Vick, Palmer and McNabb.
After looking at the passer ratings over the past three years, numbers wise, Ben does rank up there and does compare favorably with those guys. I don't know, I just don't view Ben as elite and that just seems like an excessive contract. Maybe he'll pan out or it will pay off and it'll be worth it, maybe it won't, we'll see.
Fios wrote:That's a lot of money but given the quarterback situation in the NFL, his age and his track record, I can't knock the Steelers for locking him up. And I definitely disagree with the notion that he doesn't compare well with the other $100 million guys, especially Vick, Palmer and McNabb.
I agree. He might not be the best, but he is the best fit for them.
#21 (36) This IS and will always be the High watermark where all new DB's are measured.
Fios wrote:That's a lot of money but given the quarterback situation in the NFL, his age and his track record, I can't knock the Steelers for locking him up. And I definitely disagree with the notion that he doesn't compare well with the other $100 million guys, especially Vick, Palmer and McNabb.
After looking at the passer ratings over the past three years, numbers wise, Ben does rank up there and does compare favorably with those guys. I don't know, I just don't view Ben as elite and that just seems like an excessive contract. Maybe he'll pan out or it will pay off and it'll be worth it, maybe it won't, we'll see.
It's hard to evaluate Big Ben. On the one hand, I can see how he wouldn't be considered "elite." Watching him play you don't get the "wow factor" as you do with Peyton or Brady. On the other hand, finding a solid, long term qb in the NFL is very hard as the Jets, Redskins, Falcons, Cardinals, Ravens, etc. can attest. Even though Big Ben might not wow people the way other's do, he has posted a qb rating of 98 or better in 3 of his 4 seasons, and the season in which he struggled was the year that he was in that motorcycle accident. I'm not sure if there are very many qb's that have had this type of success early on in their careers. His consistency and steadiness is ultimately what the Steelers are paying for and I find it really hard to argue against that.
Fios wrote:That's a lot of money but given the quarterback situation in the NFL, his age and his track record, I can't knock the Steelers for locking him up. And I definitely disagree with the notion that he doesn't compare well with the other $100 million guys, especially Vick, Palmer and McNabb.
After looking at the passer ratings over the past three years, numbers wise, Ben does rank up there and does compare favorably with those guys. I don't know, I just don't view Ben as elite and that just seems like an excessive contract. Maybe he'll pan out or it will pay off and it'll be worth it, maybe it won't, we'll see.
It's hard to evaluate Big Ben. On the one hand, I can see how he wouldn't be considered "elite." Watching him play you don't get the "wow factor" as you do with Peyton or Brady. On the other hand, finding a solid, long term qb in the NFL is very hard as the Jets, Redskins, Falcons, Cardinals, Ravens, etc. can attest. Even though Big Ben might not wow people the way other's do, he has posted a qb rating of 98 or better in 3 of his 4 seasons, and the season in which he struggled was the year that he was in that motorcycle accident. I'm not sure if there are very many qb's that have had this type of success early on in their careers. His consistency and steadiness is ultimately what the Steelers are paying for and I find it really hard to argue against that.
Big Ben doesn't give the wow factor like Marino or Montana. To actually watch Big Ben play is exciting for me, probably one of the most exciting QBs today. To watch your QB break tackles the way Ben does is exciting in its own.
...any given Sunday....
RIP #21 Sean Taylor. You will be loved and adored by Redskins fans forever!!!!!
GSPODS:
The National Anthem sucks.
What a useless piece of propagandist rhetoric that is.
I don't believe Ben is even in the same stratosphere talent wise as those other $100 million guys yet. I know he has a SB ring and he has some potential, but talk about overpaying. That's my opinion anyway.
