Ben Roethlisberger not committing to playing in 2017 season

Ben Roethlisberger isn't looking ahead to the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2017 season just yet.

After his current campaign ended Sunday in a 36-17 AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots, Roethlisberger said in a radio interview Tuesday that he would take time to weigh whether he would return to action next season.

"I'm going to take this offseason to evaluate, to consider all options, to consider health and family and things like that," Roethlisberger said on KDKA-FM in Pittsburgh. "Just kind of take some time away to evaluate next season — if there's gonna be a next season — all those things. At my point in my career, my age, I think that's the prudent and smart thing to do every year."

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Pressed for a commitment on next season, Roethlisberger reiterated his stance, though he later insisted that he was not "by any means saying I'm not coming back."

"Like I said, I'm going to take some time and evaluate with my family and do a lot of praying about it, and make sure it's the right thing for me and my family," Roethlisberger said.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger had previously brought up the possibility of not playing next season.

“He said it, so you do take it seriously,” Tomlin said. “I think that that’s a fair assessment in terms of where he is in his career. I’m not alarmed by it. I just think that that’s football. I obviously am hopeful that he returns.”

Roethlisberger, 34, is already the Steelers' winningest quarterback in franchise history as well as the leading passer with 46,814 yards and 301 touchdowns. He has three years remaining on his contract.

Asked about the toll of injuries, Roethlisberger said it was a consideration in his decision.

You want to be able to leave this game walking out of it in a healthy spot," Roethlisberger said. "You don't want to be 'carted out' and being worse for the wear."

Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.

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