Deion Sanders, LaDainian Tomlinson chastise Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger wasn't being serious Sunday afternoon when he said he “maybe doesn't have it anymore” after he threw five interceptions in a 30-9 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Two Pro Football Hall of Famers didn't find anything amusing about the 35-year-old quarterback's comments.
Deion Sanders and LaDainian Tomlinson took the Steelers quarterback to task Sunday night on NFL Network's “NFL GameDay Prime” telecast.
“You can't have your leader, your star, your quarterback, your most handsomely paid player on your team acting like this and talking like this,” Sanders said. “It's detrimental to the success of the team.”
Tomlinson agreed.
“Right now, I think he's in a state of frustration, but I'm concerned because it seems to me that maybe he's given up a little bit,” Tomlinson said. “Maybe he's coming to grips that it's over for him. For him to respond like that, that's more than frustration to me. When you start to say things like that, then you're questioning if you really can get it done anymore.”
Sanders faulted Roethlisberger for publicly criticizing wide receiver Antonio Brown last week for his Gatorade cooler flip against the Baltimore Ravens.
“You call him out, and you come back and throw five (interceptions?),” Sanders said. “You're playing the lottery pick five? There is a problem with that, and there is a problem that rests in that locker room. Now the cat is out of the bag. People are going to really start challenging him and questioning him. The teammates are already doing that.”
Sanders said the problem stems from Roethlisberger openly contemplating retirement in January, two days after the Steelers' loss in the AFC championship game to New England. This season, Roethlisberger's 75.8 passer rating ranks No. 28, and he is averaging career lows in yards per attempt (6.5) and yards per completion (10.6).
“This has been happening all season,” Sanders said.
Looking to Tomlinson, Sanders said, “You know if your quarterback ever said something like that in the offseason (you would think), ‘What are you talking about?' ”
Tomlinson gave Sanders a sideways glance and said, “I'd be looking at him like this.”
Asked whether the Steelers' problems can be fixed, Tomlinson nodded.
“I think they can be, but it's going to start with Big Ben.”
Steelers teammates defended Roethlisberger after the loss Sunday, and running back Le'Veon Bell said Monday he understands Roethlisberger's frustration.
“He has it,” he said. “He just had a bad performance. He's good. He knows … he's had a bad game this year, so he felt a certain way. If I went out there and fumbled the ball five times, I'd feel that way, too.”
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jrutter@tribweb.com or via Twitter at @tribjoerutter.
