Ben Roethlisberger was nearly traded to 49ers, ex-coach says he turned down deal

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Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday after he spent 18 seasons as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, more than 10 years ago, the franchise was close to trading the two-time Super Bowl champion.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) walks off the field at the end of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 42-21. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

According to former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary, the trade was viewed as a done deal. During a recent interview with The Athletic, Singletary said that he was called into a meeting with then-owner John York, CEO Jed York and director of player personnel Trent Baalke, and they told him that the 49ers were trading for Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault at the time, and Singletary decided that he didn’t want the quarterback because he wanted to give former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith an opportunity to prove himself, and he didn’t want to sound like a hypocrite because he "wanted a team of character."

"I felt I had to be true to that. But if I could do it again, I'd do it differently," Singletary said.

BEN ROETHLISBERGER RETIRES FROM THE NFL AFTER 18 SEASONS WITH THE STEELERS

Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on Dec. 5, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault in March 2010 — the second accusation against him — and the Steelers made it clear that they were shopping him, and the Raiders were another candidate to land the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

Singletary was coming off his first year as head coach and the 49ers finished with an 8-8 record.

Heading into the 2010 season, Roethlisberger was suspended for four games, but he ended up making 12 starts that year and led the Steelers to the Super Bowl. Singletary, on the other hand, was fired after the 49ers were handed a loss to the Rams in Week 16, dropping the team’s record to 5-10 on the season.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger throws a pass against the Detroit Lions during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Fred Vuich)

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If the 49ers actually went through with the trade, it could have certainly changed the trajectory of both franchises, and even Singletary’s coaching career. Since then, the anchor of the 1985 Chicago Bears all-time great defense hasn’t been able to land another coaching gig in the NFL.