Art Rooney: ‘Ben needs to be Ben’
Mr. Rooney was a guest on Steelers Nation Radio and had this to say when asked about his quarterback:
How did the process go in terms of signing Ben to a new deal?
“I think it was one of those situations that it was clear from start to finish that both sides wanted to get something done. And so, even though these days signing a top tier quarterback is not easy, and there are a lot of factors that weigh into it from both sides, like I say it was clear from the beginning that both sides wanted to get this done. I felt confident the whole way along that we would get something done. It’s good timing – Ben and I even talked about wanting to get it done and have that behind him as we head into the spring practices and allow him to really focus on getting ready for the 2019 season.”
Does he want Ben to do anything differently this upcoming season?
“No. I think Ben needs to be Ben. I think he had a great year last year in terms of leading the league in passing yardage. I think every player on the roster hopefully comes into the season thinking what I can do to be better this year, and I think Ben looks at it that way as well. In terms of what he brings to the team, I think his track record speaks for itself. Obviously, I don’t think we’ve seen decline in his play. He’s a little different quarterback than he was 15 years ago, but he’s a top tier quarterback. With him on the field, you feel like you can compete with anybody in the league on any given Sunday.”
When asked to elaborate on his “Ben needs to be Ben” statement:
“When you look at his performance over the last few years, we’ve been competitive with the best teams in the league, even last year when we didn’t make the playoffs. We were on the field with the best teams in the league there at the end of the season, and we went toe-to-toe with them. Won a game against the Patriots, barely lost a game against the Saints. That’s why I say we feel we can compete with anybody in the league when Ben’s at the helm.”
You can listen to Mr. […]
Switzer: ‘I grew because of Ben’
From his latest interview with Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:
Football is a game. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be enjoyable and entertaining.
And for Ryan Switzer, last year that was finally the case.
“I always knew how to play the receiver position. I think that got lost last year because of a stigma that was they put on me elsewhere as being just a return specialist guy. The Steelers who evaluated me coming out of the draft, they knew the production I had in college. For them to trust that, even though I wasn’t used like that in Dallas, meant a lot.
The first week I was here Coach (Mike) Tomlin made sure I knew that I wasn’t just here to be a return guy. Throughout the year I grew because of the guys that were around me, the guys I was able to watch.
Then I grew because of Ben (Roethlisberger). He took time with me individually to make sure I was on the same page with him. He took the time to make sure we knew about each other, learned about other, made sure I knew what he wanted and he knew how I saw things.”
That relationship with Roethlisberger, one which had Switzer thanking him at the end of the season, led to a lot of the success the second-year receiver had, talking to him whether it was in practice, meetings, or off the field.
“If he wasn’t practicing he would be looking to make sure we are on the same page,” said Switzer. “He reached out a bunch. He didn’t know me from anything. My wife got into a car accident on a Friday and the first person that reached out was Ben. It meant a lot. He was one guy on this team I felt bad when I didn’t get the job done. I didn’t want to let him down because I knew he trusted me and was expecting me to come through for him.
“It took time to earn that trust. You have to earn trust. You do that through experience. You do that through proving people right. Whether that’s proving Ben right when he throws you the ball and you are where you are supposed to be. Whether it’s proving the coaching staff right when they […]
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Congratulations Ben!
“I am pleased to announce Ben Roethlisberger has been signed to a new three-year contract. Ben is one of the most productive quarterbacks in NFL history, and he continued to climb the lists among the all-time passing leaders in the League last season. But I know Ben’s focus is on only one goal – to bring another Lombardi trophy back to Pittsburgh. We are excited to finalize this new contract that will keep him as a Steeler through the 2021 season.” — Steelers President Art Rooney II.
“I am grateful to the Rooneys and the Steelers organization for continuing to believe in me. It has always been a goal to play my entire career in Pittsburgh. This is home for me and my family, and we love this city. I am as excited to be a Steeler in year 16 as I was when they drafted me. They will get my absolute best.” — Ben.
Cowher on Ben: ‘This kid has a lot of upside’
April 24, 2004
Steelers select Ben Roethlisberger in the first round of the NFL Draft
Ben Roethlisberger
First Round
2004
Miami University of Ohio
From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

Roethlisberger came in with limited experience at the quarterback position, playing the position just one year in high school and leaving Miami of Ohio after his junior year. But as history has shown, it was a pick that has paid dividends, with Roethlisberger leading the Steelers to two Super Bowl titles while breaking countless records along the way.
But it all started during the NFL Draft, and here is a look back at what Roethlisberger had to say immediately after being drafted by the Steelers, and what then Coach Bill Cowher said about him.
Ben Roethlisberger’s 2004 Draft Day comments:
On his timetable as far as starting: “It is hard say without talking to Coach (Cowher). I am more than willing to do whatever it is that Coach asks of me that is best for the team, whether that is coming in and play right now or learn behind Tommy (Maddox) for a little while. Whatever it is that the team asks of me and is best for the team, I am more than willing to do.”
On if he thinks it’s possible he could start as a rookie: “I don’t know, if they ask me to then I will be ready to do whatever I can. The big thing is that hopefully, if Tommy Maddox is willing to, I would like to learn as much as I can from him being a veteran and the quarterback there that he is. I am more than willing to learn everything that he is willing to teach me.”
On not having a lot of experience: “That is a big thing, people knocked me for time that I played and the level of competition, but I have played there for three years. I have been in school for four. Randy Moss, Chad Pennington, and Byron Leftwich came out from the MAC. They are not doing too badly right now in the NFL.”
Coach Bill Cowher on Roethlisberger on draft day:
On what he likes about the way Roethlisberger plays: “When you […]