CRANBERRY, Pa. -- When Ben Roethlisberger announced recently that he was retiring from the Steelers, nobody seemed to notice that he did not say a word about walking away from pro hockey.
He still hasn't.
A simple oversight?
Maybe.
Or was it?
And while Roethlisberger was late for the Penguins' practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex Saturday -- the workout had ended before he made it onto the ice -- Mike Sullivan and his staff might be willing to overlook such indiscretions if they could add a guy who checks in at about 6 foot 5, 240 pounds and has a history of thriving in high-traffic areas.
Or perhaps they envision him as someone who might be able to quarterback the power play.
Of course, it's possible the Penguins might have to get into a bidding war with the Pirates for his services.
Big Ben is in the building. pic.twitter.com/v7sAPE7Y4a
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 19, 2022
Roethlisberger actually was at the Penguins' practice facility, where he posed for the photo above, because he was involved in a private event there.
The Penguins took and released that photo, but declined to offer any additional details about that event, which was one of the factors team officials cited for why the practice was closed to the public.
