placeholder image

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports


Former 49ers coach Mike Singletary vetoed trade for Ben Roethlisberger

Jan 26, 2022 at 11:25 AM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger? According to an article by Dan Pompei of The Athletic, it could have happened. In 2009, then-head coach Mike Singletary was called into a meeting with CEO Jed York and director of player personnel Trent Baalke. A trade was in place with the Pittsburgh Steelers for Roethlisberger, who had recently been accused of sexual assault.

Singletary vetoed the deal, per the report.

The 49ers had Alex Smith, a former first-round pick. To that point, the quarterback had been a disappointment, but Singletary believed in him.

"But Singletary liked Smith, saw his potential, and knew he had worked with four coordinators in his first four years," wrote Pompei. "He wanted to give him a chance, and he told him he would."

Singletary didn't want to transition from Smith to Roethlisberger. At the time, he felt Smith was a better representative of what he was trying to build in San Francisco. Looking back, though, Singletary probably would have chosen differently.

"I had been telling the team I wanted a team of character," Singletary told Pompei. "I felt I had to be true to that. But if I could do it again, I'd do it differently."

Related News





Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

49ers hold private workout for former Ohio State DB Amir Riep ahead of draft

By David Bonilla
Mar 22

Former Ohio State cornerback Amir Riep played at Lincoln University in Oakland, California, last season. His last season with the Buckeyes was in 2019. While he was dismissed from the program after being charged with rape, the defender was ultimately found not guilty. Now, he aims to prove he can play in the NFL. Justin Melo of The Draft Network reports that the San Francisco 49ers recently flew Riep out for a private in-person


placeholder image

Ex-NFL WR advocates for 49ers to trade Brandon Aiyuk: "Let that man be free"

By David Bonilla
Mar 23

Brandon Aiyuk recently hinted that he might consider playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers if the San Francisco 49ers are unwilling to offer him a contract extension at market value and opt to trade him to the AFC team. Of course, that could be a negotiating tactic from Aiyuk's camp as the 49ers work to sign the receiver to a contract extension. That doesn't mean San Francisco isn't willing to talk to interested teams. The team reportedly sought the No. 17 overall pick and a player from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for Aiyuk, but no deal materialized. 49ers insider Matt Barrows of


placeholder image

Four reasons why the 49ers won't trade Brandon Aiyuk

By Marc Adams
Mar 24

While rumors have continued to swirl about the possibility of the San Francisco 49ers trading star wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, some have held fast to the belief that the 49ers will not trade the player. Teams are calling about Aiyuk. Reportedly, the Jacksonville Jaguars were interested but felt the 49ers asking price was too high. And who could forget the talk of Aiyuk going to Pittsburgh when he fanned the trade rumor flames with a social media post about how he and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin look alike? (Now that he mentions it, they do kind of look alike.) But when push comes to shove, will the 49ers really consider trading Aiyuk? I suppose if the price is right, they will. But they've invested so much in him, from taking him 25th overall in the 2020 NFL draft to


placeholder image

49ers assistant coach also suffered torn Achilles during Super Bowl

By David Bonilla
Mar 26

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw is currently rehabilitating after undergoing surgery for the torn Achilles he sustained last month during Super Bowl 58. He'll have a partner in his recovery, as he wasn't the only member of the team to suffer that specific injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters on Tuesday morning at the NFL owners meetings and revealed that defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks also sustained a torn Achilles during the game. "[It occurred] about five minutes after Dre's," Shanahan told reporters. "I think it was when [S] Ji'Ayir [Brown] got the interception, he just jumped up and cheered, very similar to Dre's, and his Achilles went too." Bullocks remained on the sideline and continued coaching throughout the


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone