(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Much like Adam Schein of CBS Sports, former Jets general manager and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannebaum keep on repeating themselves in regards to projecting the Steelers to be abysmal in 2021 and that Ben Roethlisberger is "washed up."
In June, Tannebaum said the Steelers are going to be last in the AFC North because they have the worst quarterback in the division. He took his stance on Roethlisberger a little further on Get Up yesterday, however.
"[Ben Roethlisberger] is going to be bad, and I expect him to benched by the middle of the season," Tannenbaum said. ... "He's had a great career. It's over."
Obviously, things would have to go really bad for Roethlisberger in 2021 to be benched. Minus an injury occurring, I really can't see Roethlisberger being so awful that Mike Tomlin would turn to the likes of Mason Rudolph or Dwayne Haskins to take over as the signal-caller.
It's the slow point of the offseason, so it's expected that some analyst will have some outlandish takes. For the record, Tannenbaum said the same thing last year in regards to Roethlisberger being the worst quarterback in the division, and the Steelers ended up starting the season 11-0 and Roethlisberger was considered as a legitimate NFL MVP candidate. Of course, the Steelers collapsed down the stretch, losing five of their last six games, including the embarrassing wild-card game loss to the Browns at Heinz Field. Roethlisberger didn't play well late in the year either, which is why many are down on the 39-year-old quarterback heading into the 2021 season.
Roethlisberger will be almost two years removed from elbow surgery when the regular season starts, and he stated at OTAs that he felt "worn down" at the end of last year. So, maybe a second year of recovery and less passes thrown in the offseason will do wonders for the future Hall of Famer in 2021.
It should also be noted that Tannebaum wasn't a successful general manager with the Jets and he drafted quarterback Mark Sanchez at fifth overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. So, it's not like he's an expert on the quarterback position.
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