Ben Roethlisberger jokes about why he can’t play for Denver Broncos amid Bo Nix injury

The Denver Broncos find themselves navigating unfamiliar postseason territory after their star field general, Bo Nix, suffered a season-ending ankle injury, forcing the team to turn to Jarrett Stidham with a Super Bowl berth on the line. While the situation is serious, one former NFL star managed to inject humor into the conversation — even if only hypothetically.

During the latest episode of his Footbahlin podcast, Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger addressed playful speculation about whether he could help Denver in its time of need. Roethlisberger humorously made it clear he wasn’t actually considering a comeback, joking about the talks while explaining the one thing that would stop him, even if he wanted to suit up.

“This is not a foreshadowing I’m not going to Denver I know there’s been a lot of rumors out there. I would go if I could wear number 7 but John Elway retired it,” said Roethlisberger on the podcast, via Matthew Luciow, who shared the clip on X, formerly Twitter.

Big Ben on Playing for the Broncos on Sunday:

“This is not a foreshadowing I’m not going to Denver I know there’s been alot of rumors out there. I would go if I could wear number 7 but John Elway retired it.” #steelers
Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger pic.twitter.com/QZmeYnwlJT

— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) January 21, 2026

The comment came as Denver prepares for the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, who enter the matchup with great confidence and momentum after their solid (16-3) season record. With Nix unavailable, national attention has shifted toward how the Broncos will respond without the quarterback who helped stabilize their offense throughout a successful regular season.

Roethlisberger’s remarks were clearly tongue-in-cheek, but they landed because of his resume. A six-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion, Roethlisberger officially retired after the 2021 season, capping an 18-year career spent entirely with the Steelers. Even in his final seasons, he remained productive, throwing for over 3,700 yards in 2021 and posting 33 touchdown passes during Pittsburgh’s 2020 AFC North title run.

At 43 and four years removed from his last NFL snap, there is no realistic path for Roethlisberger to return. Still, the idea would have briefly entertained the Broncos’ country, especially given recent examples of veteran quarterbacks extending their careers well into their 40s, including a brief return of Philip Rivers in the Indianapolis Colts.

For Denver, however, the focus remains firmly on Stidham. The Broncos reached this point largely behind a dominant defense, while Nix contributed solid production in his second NFL season with 3,931 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. That foundation now shifts toward supporting the next man up.

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