The New York Jets are in need of a veteran quarterback and that could lead them to call to recently retired quarterbacks.
A new report suggests that the tam could potentially reach out to Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger or UCF legend Blake Bortles.
In October of 2022, Bortles quietly announced his retirement from the NFL. The former UCF product originally joined the league as the No. 3 overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He spent the first five years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars which was highlighted by a run to the AFC Championship game in 2017.
The 31-year-old could make sense when you realize four of his five seasons in Jacksonville saw him have Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as his offensive coordinator.
It’s been a full season since Ben Roethlisberger took the field in the NFL, but the Pittsburgh Steelers legend could make his comeback for one last season.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes Roethlisberger is a “wildcard” candidate to land the job and return to the NFL.
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“Wild cards include retired quarterbacks such as Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and—wait for it—Blake Bortles, who went to the 2017 AFC Championship Game in Jacksonville with now-Jets play-caller Nathaniel Hackett as his offensive coordinator,” Fowler writes.
Roethlisberger being a backup sounds strange but he is a 41-year-old man who cannot just walk in and be ready to go in Week 2. As enjoyable as it can be to toss around the idea of adding a player such as the former two-time Super Bowl champion in Roethlisberger, it’s equally as hard to envision it actually happening.
Roethlisberger last played in 2021 with Pittsburgh, while Bortles hasn’t seen the field since the 2019 season.
Betting on any of these quarterback to join the Jets is a long shot. Especially with current quarterback Zach Wilson receiving the full support of coach Robert Saleh.
