National Football League Quarterback for Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger reportedly bid farewell to the industry on Sunday during a post-game media conference after their team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs at 42-21.
CBN News reported that Roethlisberger is now ready to start a new chapter in his life with his family and in living his Christian life. He announced several times during the conference how blessed he is for being able to play football. He then shared what he intends to do is to spend time now with his family and with God.
"I'm going to do everything I can to be the best husband and father I can be and try to expand God's kingdom," Roethlisberger revealed.
"It's tough. I'm proud to have played with these guys. God has blessed me with an ability to throw a football and has blessed me to play in the greatest city, Pittsburgh, with the greatest fans and the greatest football team and players, and it's just been truly a blessing and I'm so thankful to him for the opportunity that he's given me," he added.
During a dramatic victory against the Baltimores last December, Roethlisberger proclaimed the experience as attributable to God who he called "good." He has been open about his Christian faith and spoke about it several times, including banking on God on the future of his career.
"God is good. This is how it's supposed to be. This is what this game always is and why this game is so much fun--this rivalry is what it is. I'm just so proud of the guys, the way they stepped up. We had guys go down, guys step up. And then, of course, the defense at the end," Roethlisberger said.
CBN News said Roethlisberger has won 165 NFL games, helping the Steelers achieve prominence through two Super Bowl wins. He also won the Pro Bowl six times as a quarterback and achieved more than 64,000 yards. He became the AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year from the Miami University before he started his professional career at the NFL.
"I've been here a long time, and it's been a lot of fun, Like I said, God has blessed me...It was meant to be that I was going to wear black and gold. Draft day I had a black suit on with a gold tie. I'm just so thankful," Roethlisberger emphasized.
"I mean, shoot, we thought last week was going to be the end. We got blessed to play another football game. Didn't end the way we wanted it to, but it's a blessing to play this football game. How lucky are we that we get to play football for a living? We have to count our blessings," he continued.
A reporter clarified during the conference on his excitement to begin a new chapter in his life since he did not say he was going on retirement already. Roethlisberger then affirmed of his excitement since it entails being a 24/7 husband and father, which he finds to be "fun," "different," "new challenge" the he his at the same time "nervous" about.
"I'm nervous. No, I am excited. Just because I get to go home tonight. I assume we're going to make it out and get home. We've got snow and so the kids are already playing and tubing and doing sledding and stuff. So being a husband and father, you never take a day off. You got to keep going. And so, as we move from one chapter to the next, it's going to be different, but it's going to be fun. It's going to be a new challenge, and I'm looking forward to it," Roethlisberger replied.
