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At the annual NFL owner’s meeting AFC head coaches get shoved out to tables full of media and cameras for a “breakfast”. You can imagine the questions which arise when the deprived NFL media finally get to sink their teeth into coaches, most for the first time since the regular season ended.
Some questions were among the ridiculous, like when Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was asked at least five times about the potential of the team signing cornerback Darrelle Revis, even though Tomlin repeatedly said he is not going to talk about potential free agents.
So, when Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh took his seat, it was only natural he be asked a question regarding the Steelers, but more specifically Ben Roethlisberger and his potential retirement.
You can see Harbaugh’s response below.
#Ravens coach John Harbaugh on Big Ben's "retirement" talk: "I never took it seriously." ... Perry clear they're preparing for No. 7.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 28, 2017
In other words, “I never took it seriously” isn’t just calling the Steelers’ franchise quarterback’s bluff, but also agreeing with what everyone has thought throughout this often times ridiculous escapade.
Sure, Harbaugh could have said he has no comment about anyone who isn’t a member of the Baltimore Ravens, but that simply isn’t his style. While fans of the Steelers may be taken aback by Harbaugh’s comments, does anyone think Roethlisberger will retire, this close to the 2017 NFL Draft, without saying anything to the Steelers?
At a time when Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin both stated they hadn’t heard anything from Roethlisberger, at least on the retirement front, and the more Roethlisberger talks about how he is “leaning” on returning to the Steelers, the more and more apparent it becomes he is going to be playing in 2017.
Harbaugh isn’t buying it, few in the fan base are buying it, and it is likely the Steelers organization isn’t buying it either. Hopefully No. 7 is under center in 2017, as it gives the team their best chance to win another Super Bowl.
In the meantime, until Roethlisberger officially returns to offseason workouts, fans will have to be content with plenty of Roethlisberger “leaning” towards returning stories.