He’s a guy my career hinges on because he means that much to me…as long as he’s around, I’ll be around.— Ben.

From Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

ESPN reported Saturday the Steelers will try to restructure and extend Roethlisberger’s contract. That’s not exactly shocking news.

He has one year left on his current deal. He is 36 but still playing at high level and led the NFL in passing yards this season. Quarterbacks are playing into their 40s these days. The Steelers know they need Roethlisberger to win. He said he wants to play “for as long as they’ll have me.”

But there’s a little more to the Roethlisberger story than just signing him to an extension.

“They can come to me tomorrow and say we want to get your deal done. I’ll say, ‘Get Pouncey done first.’ That’s only because I want to make sure he’ll be here.”

Pouncey also will be entering the final year of his contract next season and is due for an extension this upcoming offseason.

“No offense to anyone else, but I don’t want to play with another center,” Roethlisberger said. “I voted for him for MVP. I couldn’t do anything without him.”

The good news is Pouncey has no plans to retire. He just finished his ninth NFL season but still is 29. He was voted second-team All-Pro by The Associated Press, the only Steelers player to be honored.

Pouncey and Roethlisberger have been teammates since Pouncey’s rookie year in 2010. The Steelers current offensive line has been together, for the most part, for four seasons, although it could lose Ramon Foster, who is a free agent and on the wrong side of 30, and Marcus Gilbert, who has started just 13 of the past 32 regular-season games because of suspension and injury. It also could lose line coach Mike Munchak to a head-coaching gig.

“I’ve been spoiled to have that same group,” Roethlisberger said. “I don’t think that happens very often in the NFL. I think I’m the luckiest quarterback in the league. I think they’re the best in the business. They are the engine that drives this team. It’s so much fun to play with them. I pray that we can keep them all together. That whole room is special.”


You can read the rest here.

Highlights from Ben’s final show of the season on 93.7 The Fan:


Ben on the “AB story” –

“He is such an incredible talent and I’ve been blessed to have him as my teammate and truly a good friend, one of my better friends on the team….That’s the kind of baffling thing to me is people are making a big deal about a walk-through on Wednesday, that there was a blow up, a fight between he and I, I don’t know anything about that…If there was a blowup or something I should as heck didn’t see it. This big deal was made about that, and I’m not really sure where that comes from. I talked to AB on Thursday morning – because after the walk through AB left on Wednesday. And on Thursday morning I talked to AB and everything was great and fine and then this story just keeps growing. So like I said, I consider him to be one of my closest friends on the team, so I’m not really sure where some of this blowup is coming from.”

When asked about “other teammates” complaining about the situation to the media –

“I think we’re frustrated because we want AB to play because he makes us all better. He had an amazing season this year, and like I said, he makes me who I am, so it makes all of us better. So it’s really, I think communication is the biggest thing for a lot of us.”

Asked if it will be “interesting” moving forward with the AB story –

“It is. And I’m obviously not the, I’m not the coach, or the owner. So I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Like I said, I love Antonio and I wish him nothing but the best and I hope he’s back here with me. Because he makes me better.”

Ben on whether it bothered him that he was not voted as team MVP –

“No, not at all. I voted for Pouncey. But I think JuJu is very deserving. I think there were a handful of guys that were deserving of the award – T.J. Watt, JuJu, AB…I always think the line is the most valuable group, but maybe I’m biased (laughs). I think James Connor did some great things. To me being a captain is a higher honor. And I think to say […]

The Steelers won their last game of the regular season, but sadly, did not make the playoffs.

“I’m trying not to reflect right now, but it’s hard not to. But I think the biggest thing, I just got done seeing my linemen, so I think pride in my guys, pride in guys that stepped up today that had to move around in different positions…like James Washington! His big catch along the sideline – the big play that he had – was the exact same call that he missed in Denver. The exact same call. We’re standing on the sideline with Randy Fichtner and he said, ‘Who do you want, JuJu or James?’, and I said, ‘I want James.’ He came in the huddle and I said, ‘Hey, we’re going to do the same play we did in Denver and I want you to make the play’. And he did! And to me that’s just…I’m so proud of him!” — Ben, during his post-game press conference.

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

The Steelers did what they needed to do on Sunday, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals, 16-13, at Heinz Field.

After the Steelers won, Heinz Field remained packed, including players from both teams on the field watching the end of the Browns-Ravens game on the scoreboard, an emotional rollercoaster of big plays by the Browns at the end but it wouldn’t be enough as a Baker Mayfield interception on fourth down ended it all.

Ben Roethlisberger, who finished the season with 5,129 passing yards and became just the seventh quarterback in NFL history to record 5,000 passing yards in a season, was disappointed after the game but also had pride in the job his teammates did.

The defense was dominant all day, holding Bengals quarterback Jeff Driskel to just 95 yards passing and sacking him four times, while allowing just 125 yards on the ground, most of that coming in a 51-yard run by Joe Mixon.

Matt McCrane, who was signed on Friday after Chris Boswell was placed on injured reserve, hit three field goals, including the game-winner from 35 yards out.


You can read Ms. Varley’s full recap of the game here.


Now Ben doesn’t like me to post about his personal milestones, but I’m doing it anyway:

…with Christmas wishes for Ben and his family from across the Nation and around the World!

“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ❤️ n best wishes from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿.” — Lynn Leckie.

Merry Christmas to your cute kids from Brazil!” — Isadora Bastos.

“God Bless you and your beautiful family. Thank you for sharing those special moments in your life with us. We love watching you lead your team. Go Steelers from Sea Isle City, NJ!” — Donna Gibson.

“Thank you for sharing your beautiful family! Merry Christmas from Winnipeg, Canada!” — Rachel Moore.

“Merry Christmas Big Ben and family, from your biggest fan from North Dakota!” — Jesse Bohara.

“Good looking family Ben. I’m from Pittsburgh, but I live in Santa Monica. I wish you the best on Sunday. I support you guys 100 percent! God bless! — Diane Landau.

“Merry Christmas, A Hug for you and your family, from MONTERREY, Mexico.” — Carlos De La Garza.

“Beautiful family! Continue to be blessed, from South Florida.” — Teri Harris Reid.

How was your Christmas? It was pretty Steelerific for these fans, even the youngest ones:



Bakedbykatie @Godsgirl227
@_BigBen7 This little guy is 5 months old and already knows what he likes, and he likes Big Ben!!!



ColonelAngus @JackFlash72
Replying to @_BigBen7 @JamesConner_ Same helmet as Ben Jr. different jersey tho…😂


Porkroll King @JasonDow
This guys wants to be a future @steelers so bad, this is his @_BigBen7 uniform and he said now he wants an @AB84 and @JamesConner_ lol not bad for a 5 year old #HereWeGo



Jenny Sydenstricker @JennySydenstric
@_BigBen7 we got your back. Let’s go!!



David Obregon @Djobregon
Replying to @_BigBen7 @JamesConner_ Getting the next generation ready!



Heather L Hagenmaier @Heather_Lynn25
Hey @_BigBen7 my Grandpa says I’m a Steelers fan what do you think?!



Sarah Moen @moensarah
Replying to @_BigBen7 @JamesConner_ We had a similar request in this house.


Amanda Rose @artoodeee2
@_BigBen7 […]

“I have every intention of playing next year. But I don’t want to even think about next season until this season is over.” — Ben.

Ben’s show was moved to this morning at 11am because tomorrow is Christmas Day. Recap provided by 93.7 The Fan:

The Steelers season could be shortened after a 31-28 loss in New Orleans on Sunday – which could mean no playoffs as they now are on the outside looking in. But Ben is not counting out a Christmas Miracle.

He thought one might come at the end of the game yesterday when they were driving down the field late.

“You love having the ball in your hands trying to win a football game. It’s unfortunate how it ended but proud of the way the guys fought to the end.”

The way it ended was a fumble from Juju Smith-Schuster that ended any chance the Steelers had for a miracle come from behind win on the last drive, Ben shared some of the things he discussed with JuJu after the game saying if he plays this game long enough he will have many more chances of making winning plays and some more disappointments.

“I told him I was proud of him. He is one of the main reasons we had a chance to win that game…I was heartbroken for him.”

The loss really hurts the Steelers chances of making the playoffs….They will need a win and help. But Ben is not giving up hope.

“We have to take care of our own business. Nothing happens for us if we don’t win on Sunday.”

It also doesn’t mean the Steelers are in the playoffs by just winning either…they will need help and it must come form the Cleveland Browns who will need to beat Baltimore or a Steelers win and Tennessee/ Indianapolis tie.

Both games have been flexed by the league to 4:25 pm, but that doesn’t mean the Steelers players won’t see what is going on the scoreboard.

“We’ve been here before. We have had situations where we need a team to win, need a team to lose things like that so you’re gonna have people cheering and booing whatever it is so it’s gonna be hard not to at least see or know what is going on or hear it but, […]