Steelers extend Roethlisberger for five years

Kirstie Chiappelli

Steelers extend Roethlisberger for five years image

Ben Roethlisberger looks set to see out his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers after penning a new five-year deal.

Confirmation of the extension comes less than a month after general manager Kevin Colbert confirmed that both sides began talks of an extension. 

The Steelers officially announced the news at a media conference on Friday.

"I've always said this is where I want to be," Roethlisberger said. "It's home. It's family. As much as my wife and kids are family, so is the Rooney family and my team and coaches."

Roethlisberger was going into the final year of the eight-year, $102 million contract he signed with the team in March 2008. He was set to make $11.6 million in salary in 2015 and had a salary cap hit of $18.395 million this year.

"Having Ben has been a great run that we've had, so we're really excited to continue the opportunity that having a player like Ben gives us to be competitive and to try and compete for championships," Steelers president Art Rooney II said. 

"There's no other way to do it these days in the league."

The 11-year veteran is coming off his best statistical season after establishing career highs in passing yards (4,952), completions (408) and completion percentage (67.1). 

Roethlisberger added 32 touchdowns to those statistics and helped the Steelers capture the AFC North before being eliminated by the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round.

The 33-year-old will be joined by newly acquired running-back DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh's first free-agent signing of the off-season, in 2015.

Kirstie Chiappelli