During a recent interview with the NFL Network’s Jennifer Allen, head coach Mike Tomlin expressed concern over the state of the Steelers’ franchise, as well as for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

From NFL.com:

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin expressed anxiety over the sexual-assault allegation leveled at quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, telling NFL Network’s Jennifer Allen on Saturday, “I’m highly concerned for our franchise and for Ben personally.”

“My concerns are many, but I think at this time it’s kind of appropriate to watch these things and let these things run their course,” Tomlin said after arriving in Orlando, Fla., for the NFL Annual Meeting, which starts Monday. “I think it would be inappropriate for me to have strong feelings one way or another with the investigation being ongoing and so forth. Like everyone else, you watch these things unfold.”

Tomlin and the Steelers are doing the right thing by letting the legal process work itself out when it comes to Roethlisberger’s situation. But the reality is that the organization should be concerned. Its starting quarterback has been accused of sexual assault twice in the last year and a half and while he may have not done anything wrong in either incident, this is the third time in the last four offseasons were Big Ben has gotten into some kind of off-field complication.

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that Roethlisberger’s future in Pittsburgh is in doubt.

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