The Facts: Roethlisberger returns to Pittsburgh for his 18th season in what feels like a swan song for the 39-year-old, but the QB insists he is treating 2021 no different than any other season. "I'm going to approach this like I do every season: like it's my last," Roethlisberger told reporters Tuesday. "That just means I'm going out to give it everything I have. I've never looked toward the future. I've always looked toward the right here and now. That's what's important for me for this season is giving everything I have right here and right now for this group of guys."

Diehards Line:Roethlisberger has stumbled toward the end of his career. After two Super Bowl victories within his first five years, four straight Pro Bowls from 2014-2017, and leading the league in passing in 2018, Big Ben has struggled the past two years. His 2019 season lasted just two games, and in 2020 he looked every bit like a 38-year-old QB coming off elbow surgery. His decline in play in part led the Steelers to rework his contract. The QB took a $5 million pay cut in 2021, the final year of his contract. Big Ben said he wanted to take a pay decrease to help ensure the Steelers could remain competitive. "(The pay cut) was my idea," he said. Despite being pressed against the salary cap, the Steelers were able to retain several of their key pieces like JuJu Smith-Schuster, whom the club anticipated losing to free agency. Meanwhile, the veteran QB admitted that he needs to play better to get the Steelers back to the playoffs and further than the Wild Card Round. He'll also need help from those around him. We'll see how much of that he gets.