Former Steelers Cornerback Blames Big Ben for His Release

Steven Nelson says the Steelers prioritized appeasing Roethlisberger over keeping their talented defense intact.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson blames quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's bloated salary for why he was released by the team after the 2020 season. Nelson says the Steelers had a talented defense in 2019 and 2020 but were unable to retain key players like Nelson, Mike Hilton, and Bud Dupree in 2021 due to the team's financial constraints caused by Roethlisberger's contract.

Why it matters

Nelson's comments highlight the tensions and difficult decisions NFL teams face when trying to balance the needs of star players with the overall roster construction. The Steelers' inability to keep their defense together after the 2020 season was a major factor in their decline, and Nelson believes Roethlisberger's contract was the root cause.

The details

Nelson says the Steelers had a stacked defense in 2019 and 2020 with players like himself, Joe Haden, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Stephon Tuitt, and Cameron Heyward. However, the team was unable to retain key players like Nelson, Hilton, and Dupree in 2021 due to salary cap issues stemming from Roethlisberger's contract.

  • After the 2020 NFL season, the Steelers released cornerback Steven Nelson.
  • In 2021, the Steelers were unable to re-sign several key defensive players like Mike Hilton and Bud Dupree.

The players

Ben Roethlisberger

The longtime quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who Nelson believes had a bloated contract that prevented the team from retaining key defensive players.

Steven Nelson

A former cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers who was released after the 2020 season and is now criticizing the team's decision to prioritize Roethlisberger's contract over keeping the defense intact.

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What they’re saying

“They let Ben dictate keeping that roster together moving forward. That's why I was upset. They didn't kick me out of Pittsburgh. They tried to betray me, they tried to trade me, and [then] they tried to make me take a pay cut for who? Big Ben, a guy that was declining in his career.”

— Steven Nelson, Former Steelers Cornerback (The Corner Suite Podcast)

“You had a good young team right there, a great team that was meshing really well, and you sabotaged the whole thing for one person. They let one guy sabotage the entire organization.”

— Steven Nelson, Former Steelers Cornerback (The Corner Suite Podcast)

The takeaway

Nelson's comments highlight the difficult balance NFL teams must strike between keeping star players happy and maintaining a competitive roster. The Steelers' inability to retain their talented defense after 2020 was a major factor in their decline, and Nelson believes Roethlisberger's outsized contract was the root cause.