Gerry Dulac @gerrydulac

Ike Taylor, Maurkice Pouncey and Ben Roethlisberger at U.S. Ambassador to Ireland residence for Flag Football event today. Good Irish weather.



Also from Mr. Dulac today:


“Slimmed-down Maurkice Pouncey reunites with his quarterback as he awaits Hall call“


Pouncey has lost 80 pounds since he retired after the 2020 season and now weighs a trim 225 pounds, looking more like a person who wears a suit as co-owner, along with twin brother Mike, of Tropical Distillery, a Miami-based domestic craft liqueur company.

He was so good he was instantly installed as the starter after just one week of training camp and went on to become a two first-team All-Pro and a member of the NFL’s 2010 All-Decade Team. Maybe more important, he was the heartbeat and leader of the offensive line.

That’s why Pouncey was one of 13 players who were nominated in their first-year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

If he were to get in, the Steelers would be the only team to have three centers in the Hall of Fame, joining Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson.

“That would be cool, but there’s no way in my mind and in my heart I should ever go into before Big Ben Roethlisberger,” Pouncey sad. “He’s what the Steelers are now. He built such a career for himself. I’d be more embarrassed to ever go in before him.”

Roethlisberger is not eligible for consideration — a player has to be five years removed from his last season — until the Class of 2027. But, while it might be difficult, Roethlisberger said it would be great if they could both go in together, just like the old days.

Roethlisberger considered retiring after the 2020 season because he didn’t want to play without Pouncey anymore.

“There’s always something special about your center,” Roethlisberger said. “To have one like him, he was so passionate about the game and being the best. I could never say enough about him.

“The only thing missing from his resume is a championship. It’s unfortunate that’s what it takes sometimes. What he was able to do for this game, and for me, he was invaluable.”




You can read the full article here.