From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

Friday was a day filled with smiles for Gabe Patton, a 16-year old from Vinton, Virginia who loves the Steelers.

Patton was a guest of the team at practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He will also be at Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field.

“I love the Steelers,” said Patton. “I have never been to an NFL game before. I have been to a few college games. I am really excited. It should be loud and a lot of fun.”

Patton, who is battling cancer, had the opportunity to meet his favorite players, including Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown, while getting pictures and autographs.

“It’s crazy being here,” said Patton. “It’s surprising. It’s kind of crazy to see myself doing this. This is a big confidence boost. It gets all of the bad stuff out of my mind. It’s nice to do something fun that I never thought I would do.”


You can read more & see some great photos of Gabe’s day here.

“As men in general, we all need to show emotion. I think there’s a misconception out there that as men, we shouldn’t. I think that’s wrong. I think we should show emotion, whether it’s at a movie, if it’s funny or sad, if you want to be around your wife or girlfriend. Just because you cry doesn’t mean you’re less manly. I think that’s a false narrative. When it comes to football, if something hurts – [Derek Carr] might have been hurting, who knows? I know I’ve cried in the locker room before, for both joy and pain. You lose a football game, if you’re not showing emotion or if he gets up from something like that and he’s laughing, he’s going to get chastised for not showing enough emotion! So I don’t know exactly the story you’re talking about, but for me I don’t think it makes us any less manly to show emotion! — Ben, when asked if it was acceptable for football players to cry (after a story broke about the Raiders’ Derek Carr crying on the football field).”

“I’m excited for him to really get a push, and be even more involved than he has been.” — Ben, on James Conner’s role.

Did you miss Ben’s interview earlier today? No problem, Teresa Varley has the rest of the recap right here:

On the turnovers in the Steelers Week One game against the Browns –

“Any time you turn the ball over you get disappointed. It was one of those games. Whether it was elements, them making plays, us not making plays.

A lot of factors involved. At the end of the day they made the plays and made us turn the ball over.

“They made the plays, we didn’t the first time around. Credit them, they’re a good defense.

We said going into that game they might be the best we play all year, and we’ll still say that.”


On the success of the Browns’ defense contributing to the turnovers –

“It’s a couple of things. It starts with the pass rush. Obviously, Myles [Garrett] is one of the best in the business. He is long, he gets after the quarterback, gets good jumps on the snap. In the secondary they catch the ball. We always joke defenders play defense […]

Recap provided by 93.7 The Fan:

On whether “guys in the locker room talk about trades” reference cornerback Patrick Peterson coming to the Steelers –

“Well, some guys might (laughs). Just like any other NFL news story, you never really jump or dive in too far until you know for sure some positive details.”

On how he thinks Todd Haley will take the news that Browns head coach Hue Jackson says he’ll get more involved in the play-calling going forward –

“Well I can’t imagine that Coach Todd was too happy with all that talk. Obviously, Todd has a pretty good track record…but Coach Jackson is right, it’s his team, he has the right to do what he chooses and how he wants to call plays or who calls the plays. That’s up to them to work it out. I’m sure those two have had a least a talk or two behind closed doors. But if Coach Todd or Coach Jackson wants to let everyone know what was said, I’m sure we’d all love to hear it.”

On Vontaze Burfict receiving another fine for his actions in the Bengals game against the Steelers –

“You know what, honestly Ron, I’ve moved on. You have to. You can’t sit there and dwell on him and it and all those things because it will consume your mind. You have to move on and move forward. I feel like I spoke my mind and most of us spoke our minds after that game when it was fresh and relevant and now we just move on.”

On whether he’s heard from Le’Veon Bell –

“No, I have not. It was such a big deal early because I think we all didn’t know what to expect…we’ve all moved on. Obviously, yesterday at practice there was more media there than ever, it’s all just waiting to get a glimpse to see when he’s gonna show up. For us, we just laugh.”


You can listen to Ben’s full show here.

From Kevin Kirkland, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

A Steelers quarterback never expects a friendly reception in Baltimore, even when he’s on vacation.

“He walked up to me and said, ‘I’m a K9 officer and I have one of your dogs. I just wanted to say how much it meant to me,” Ben Roethlisberger recalled.

In the 11 years since the Findlay, Ohio, native bought a police dog for his hometown, the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation (https://bigben7.com/the-ben-roethlisberger-foundation) has purchased and paid to train 130 German shepherds and Belgian malinois for police departments in Western Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland and many other communities not in the AFC North Division.

Ben’s dogs are everywhere.

People who wouldn’t think of rooting for a Pittsburgh team cheer Mr. Roethlisberger’s charitable mission. And local K9 officers, well, they don’t hide their gratitude for the man who’s given them some of the best partners they’ve ever had.

Pittsburgh Police K9 Officer Philip Lerza gets to thank Big Ben for Beny whenever the handler and his dog work the players’ entrance at Heinz Field before Steelers home games. The foundation paid for the 75-pound-German shepherd-Malinois mix in February 2014 after Rocco, Officer Lerza’s previous partner, was killed on duty.

“Staying busy with Beny helped me get through it. It helped my whole family,” Officer Lerza said.

That’s because police dogs go home with their partners, but never really go off duty.

Jango, Larry & Rico

In May, Sharpsburg Police K9 Officer Jeffrey Hussar watched proudly as his partner, Jango, the borough’s first police dog, was sworn in. A grant from the Roethlisberger foundation plus local donations paid for the 2-year-old German shepherd, his training and a vehicle.

“He’s very good with his nose,” said Officer Hussar, who uses Jango for drug sniffing and patrol work. Last Saturday, they responded to a fight at a Sharpsburg home that escalated into a standoff between police and a man with a knife. Jessie Lee Glover, 39, allegedly threatened to kill police and the dog. Officer Hussar said he removed Jango when the suspect fled into the house.

“I was worried about our safety and the dog’s safety,” he said.

Mr. Glover was later removed from the house by a SWAT team and charged with eight felonies.

In nearby Ohio Township, K9 Officer Eric Wallace has his own little family of police dogs — 11-year-old Rico, who […]

…about a very special & very busy 6-year old Steelers fan!

“My daughter, Kaley Bastine, has been raising money for our local police department in Harrison Township so they can purchase a K9. She held a lemonade stand in July and raised $106, and a cookie stand in August for $856. She even had a local jeweler match her donation of $856. And just last week, Kaley received a donation from a local club of a $1,000, so she has now raised almost $3,000! I just wanted to share all the hard work and love my daughter has for her police officers and animals. Kaley loves police officers and wants to donate to them because of all the good they do in the community (she is also talking us into buying her a lab, lol). She is so excited to be on Ben’s website because she’s a HUGE fan of his.” — Jamie Bastine.

Kaley isn’t done yet. Her family has told her that purchasing & keeping a police K9 “costs a lot of money”, but she is determined.

So what’s next? She’s planning a Car Wash.

Donations can be sent to: Harrison Township Police Department, 1 Municipal Drive, Natrona Heights, PA 15065 (In the memo section just write “Kaley’s Fund”).


Kaley, you are one awesome little lady & we’re proud to post all the wonderful things you’re doing in your community, and especially for our law enforcement officers!