From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

Steelers fans aren’t the only ones frustrated and baffled by what is happening with the franchise.

So, too, is Ben Roethlisberger, who won two Super Bowls and led the Steelers to a third in a span of six years.

After another season ended abruptly without a playoff victory, the former quarterback is concerned the team for which he played 18 seasons might not be close to getting back to the Super Bowl anytime soon.

“It feels like there’s no ‘Steelers Way’ anymore,” Roethlisberger said. “There’s still guys who have it, but it doesn’t feel like it. It frustrates me to watch it happen.”

The Steelers haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the 2010 season when they lost to the Green Bay Packers. It was the only time in three trips Roethlisberger failed to win the title.

Since then, the Steelers are 3-9 in the postseason and have lost a franchise-record six consecutive playoff games. The most recent came two weeks ago when they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 28-14 in an AFC wild card game.

It was the eighth time in 12 playoff appearances Mike Tomlin’s team went one-and-done in the postseason, one shy of the dubious mark held by former Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns coach Marty Schottenheimer (nine).

“It might be time to figure out what you’ve got to do for the next couple years to make a run,” Roethlisberger said on the phone the other day. “I don’t know that they’re that close, to be honest.”

More immediately, the Steelers need to figure out what to do at quarterback. Roethlisberger said it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go sign another one in free agency because “you go get a guy if you think you’re only a quarterback away from winning.”

Then he added, “They’re not just a quarterback away, in my opinion.”


You can read more from Ben’s interview with Mr. Dulac here.