Big Ben: Tomlin has ‘right to move on,’ or stay put

PITTSBURGH — In advance of his induction into the Hall of Honor, ex-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger softened his previous statements made on his podcast, where he implied it could be time for a «clean house» within the organization and for coach Mike Tomlin to consider moving on.

«When I mentioned a time for some new changes, it was my way of saying that Coach Tomlin — if he decides to move on, he has every right to do so, it’s not a must,» Roethlisberger articulated Monday night prior to the Steelers’ 28-15 victory against the Miami Dolphins. «The decision is his, and he deserves that choice. Whether he feels inclined to pursue other opportunities, we should support him when that time comes. Perhaps he wishes to coach here for another decade, and that’s perfectly fine too.»

Following the Steelers’ matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, during which fans voiced their displeasure with chants of «Fire Tomlin» at Acrisure Stadium, Roethlisberger didn’t hold back in expressing his views during the December 2 episode of his podcast «Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger.»

«Maybe it’s time for a fresh start,» Roethlisberger stated on the podcast. «I hold a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin. But maybe, for his own development, it might be beneficial.»

«… Perhaps a new beginning for him is what he needs. Whether that leads him to the pros, or potentially to be the head coach at Penn State. You know what he could achieve at Penn State? He would likely win national titles there. He possesses exceptional recruiting skills.»

Penn State subsequently appointed Iowa State’s Matt Campbell shortly thereafter.

Members of the Steelers’ locker room stood by their head coach and played down the former quarterback’s remarks.

«I’m not concerned with opinions from those outside our locker room,» defensive captain Cam Heyward stated at that moment. «It’s not disrespectful to anyone. We just have to focus on the players who are in this room and concentrate on our responsibilities. There’s a significant amount of football left to be played. We must rise to the occasion. Keep pushing forward.»