Ben has announced the opening of the 2018 grant cycle of the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund.

This marks the 12th season of grants for his Foundation.The majority of grants distributed will help police & fire department K-9 units purchase dogs & dog safety vests, but other needs are also considered.

The Foundation will be distributing grants in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers during the 2018 NFL season including Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Denver, Oakland and New Orleans. Ben invites police and fire departments in these eight communities to submit proposals detailing their needs.

In addition, his Foundation will continue to make grants to several police and fire department K-9 units in the Pittsburgh area following Super Bowl LIII.

Ben’s mission is to support K-9 units of police and fire departments throughout the United States with a particular emphasis on support for service dogs in Pittsburgh. Ben also strives to support Make-A-Wish and other nonprofit organizations assisting children in need in cities where he has lived and played football.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation distributed more than $170,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2017 NFL season, including $82,000 in the Pittsburgh community. The Foundation has distributed in excess of $1.92 million since 2007.

Applications and supporting documents must be mailed and postmarked by August 15. Click HERE for all the details on how to apply!


For more information about the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation or The Giving Back Fund, please contact Jessica Duffaut at jduffaut@givingback.org.

From Teresa Varley this afternoon at Steelers.com:

One of his new teammates he isn’t working with this weekend, but is looking forward to getting to know, is fellow quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. After Rudolph was drafted, Roethlisberger questioned selecting a quarterback that high when he still planned on playing three-to-five more years.

Rudolph, though, said there weren’t any issues and Roethlisberger texted him on Thursday, wishing him luck during minicamp and telling him he was looking forward to getting to meet him when the entire team starts working together during OTAs.

“Ben reached out to me,” said Rudolph. “He is excited to get in when rookie minicamp gets done and start getting after it. He reached out, said good luck in rookie minicamp. I was appreciative of that. I haven’t met him yet, but I am looking forward to meeting him.

“I think the media got twisted around a little bit. He is a competitor. He is a Hall of Fame quarterback. He is a competitive guy. That is what I would expect. He is a long time starter. I am sure when we get in this building, in this room, we are going to be friends. I am going to let him do his thing. I am going to pick up from him what I can from him but not bother him.”


You can read more from Ms. Varley here, and watch video of Mason’s interview here.

@_BigBen7 Got my son registered for your upcoming camp!!! It will be his fourth! He can’t wait!

— Jim Budzilek (@JimBudzilek) April 29, 2018

Do you have your youngster registered yet? No? Then stop by ProCamps and get ‘er done before all the spots are taken!

See you on June 17th!

Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: Looks like Bill Cowher was spot on when talking about Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.

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.”


Coach Bill Cowher on Roethlisberger on draft day:

On what he likes about the way Roethlisberger plays:
“When you look at him athletically, a lot of people have talked about athletically he may have a lot better attributes than some of the other two picked in front of him, but I think certainly the experience factor, certainly the questions of where he played.

“I think this kid has a lot of upside. Again, the thing he lacks is experience. I think he’s only going to get better the more he plays.”

On what sold the team on selecting Roethlisberger:
“The more […]

Back by popular demand: It was on April 24, 2004 –

“I was in New York. I had my mom and dad with me, my sister was there and my agent. My college coach at the time and his wife were there. Everyone kind of had their speculations of ‘what number’ and what team. The teams we thought were going to take me didn’t, but it ended up working out perfectly for me.” — Ben, from the video, “Recalling Draft Day”.

Ben arrives at Madison Square Garden that Saturday morning with plenty of supporters in his corner – his family, his agents Leigh Steinberg and Ryan Tollner, and his college coach, Terry Hoeppner and his wife Jane.

At 11:20PM: Ben and four others – Eli Manning, Roy Williams, Robert Gallery, and Kellen Winslow Jr. – are introduced to the crowd.

Green Room waiting –

• 12:25PM: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that the San Diego Chargers have selected Eli Manning with the No. 1 pick. Eli emerges from stage right and is greeted by unwelcoming chants by the Chargers fans in attendance.

• 12:58PM: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that the New York Giants have selected NC State quarterback Philip Rivers with the No. 4 pick. Soon thereafter the trade with the Chargers is announced – Eli Manning is headed to New York, Philip Rivers to San Diego. Both fan bases seem pleased with the outcome….as Ben waits for his turn.

• 1:57PM: Pittsburgh is on the clock. “We see Ben Roethlisberger on the phone,” ESPN announces for the television audience. Sure enough, it’s Steelers coach Bill Cowher calling to tell Ben the Steelers are going to select him with the No. 11 pick.

• 2:00PM: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that Ben is indeed headed for Pittsburgh. Ben arrives on stage and dons a Steelers ballcap and holds up a Steelers jersey.

• 2:01PM: The Steelers fans in the crowd begin to chant, “Ben, Ben, Ben….”

• 2:02PM: Just off stage, Ben does a press conference for television reporters and then disappears from the public room to do a few interviews with the Pittsburgh media.

• 2:43PM: Ben emerges from the players’ party room where a press conference with print media is set up. An ESPN media representative announces, “Call from Steelers owner […]