Ben Roethlisberger Felt It Was 'Necessary' to Take Pay Cut in New Steelers Contract

Signing a new contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers at a reduced salary was Ben Roethlisberger's idea.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, the quarterback said he felt "it was necessary" to take a pay cut to help the Steelers roster.

"I'm black and gold through and through," he said when asked about playing with another team. "I want to be here. I don’t want to be anywhere else."

Steelers owner Art Rooney II told reporters in January that Roethlisberger's original salary for the 2021 season was untenable given the team's cap situation. 

"I don't want to go too far down that road because we have a lot of discussions internally and with Ben," Rooney said. "Salary cap and Ben's contract is a big factor in where we go. That's as much as I can say."

Roethlisberger signed his new deal March 4. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the six-time Pro Bowler reduced his salary from $19 million to $14 million and saved the Steelers $15 million in immediate cap space.

The 39-year-old Roethlisberger is entering his 18th season with the Steelers. He helped the team win the AFC North in 2020 with a 12-4 record. He threw for 3,803 yards with 33 touchdowns and a 65.6 completion percentage in 15 starts.