By Alek Arend The Ben Roethlisberger era is over. The longtime Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback called it a career on Thursday morning. “To all my teammates and endless friendships I have gained, I appreciate you and our shared commitment to wearing the black and gold with pride and dignity,” Roethlisberger said. “Putting that jersey on every Sunday with my brothers will always be one of the greatest joys of my life. “To Steelers Nation, the best fans in all of sports, thank you for accepting me as your quarterback over the years. Football has been a gift, and I thank God for allowing me to pla…