“I just wanted to be out there with my teammates. I didn’t want to let them down. I wanted to let them know I can still give everything that I have. I am not trying to prove anything to the outside world. I just wanted to keep playing the game that I love, with the teammates that I love for the fans that I love. That has been what’s most important in my mind.” — Ben.

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

If you looked at the NFL rankings only, and saw the Steelers were ranked 24th overall in passing, ninth in the run game and 21st in total offense, you might stop and wonder how they are 5-0.

But if you watch them play, see what the offense is doing on a weekly basis, you get it.

This is an offense that has a lot of firepower on it, and while they aren’t putting up huge numbers, they are putting up the numbers they need to in order to be one of only two undefeated teams in the AFC, the other being this week’s opponent, the Tennessee Titans.

“It gives us balance. That is what we want to be,” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. “You read into any of the fans and media stuff in the offseason, we need to be more balanced, we need to run the ball. That is what we are doing.

“We are a balanced offense. We are not putting up gawdy passing numbers right now because we haven’t needed to. I would like to think if we needed to, we could do that because we have some amazing pass catchers who can do great things with the ball in their hands. What we have been able to do right now is win football games and that is what’s most important.”

Roethlisberger’s numbers this season aren’t the best of his career with 114 completions for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns through five games. But he is doing things right, pushing the right buttons, playing smart football and has only one interception and managing the game the way he needs to.

“I feel like that is what I have been doing the last five weeks, trying to get us in the best play I can,” said Roethlisberger. “Trying not to turn the ball over and do […]

Time for a fun re-cap!


Image: Steelers

From KDKA-CBS:

Not yet Cleveland. At least, not in Pittsburgh.

James Conner ran for 101 yards and a touchdown and the Steelers battered the Browns in a 38-7 blowout victory on Sunday to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1978. Ben Roethlisberger added 162 yards passing and a score.

Pittsburgh emphatically ended Cleveland’s four-game winning streak and extended the Browns’ skid at Heinz Field to 17 and counting.

The Browns (4-2) were unable to get anything going against a defense that sacked aching Baker Mayfield four times, picked him off twice and chased him late in the third quarter with the game out of reach. The NFL’s top rushing offense managed 75 yards on the ground — 113 below its season average — as the Steelers dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage in easily their best performance in 2020.

Steelers begin a three-game road swing on Sunday when they visit the Titans. The game was originally scheduled for Oct. 4 before being moved while Tennessee dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak.

You can read more here.

“I’m glad I only have to play them on Wednesdays, Thursdays, little parts of practice when I’m not live.”

Big Ben was relieved to watch the @Steelers defense from the sideline today, not the line of scrimmage 😂 (@TracyWolfson) pic.twitter.com/b3DrN8JvDs

— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) October 18, 2020

Enjoy highlights from the defensive side of the ball here.

And check out highlights from the whole game here.

The Steelers’ 13-game regular-season home winning streak when facing a starting QB drafted No. 1 overall is the longest streak in NFL history. — Missi Matthews via Twitter.

Ref: Romo thinks [Claypool] got in.

Ben: Oh, it's in. Good job, Tony. Tony finally made a good call…Just joking, Antonio.

Tony: I can't believe he doubted me…like I was going to get one wrong. pic.twitter.com/bHxxG8FVZ3

— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) October 18, 2020

You can see some great game photos here.

Enjoy your week Steeler Nation!

Get one (or two) before they’re gone!



These beautiful limited-edition Wendell August Forge Steelers ornaments are going fast! They’ve handcrafted only 1,000 each and 50 percent of the proceeds will benefit the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. 

Order yours this weekend at: https://www.wendellaugust.com/bigben7

*For more info on Ben’s foundation, contact Jessica Duffaut at The Giving Back Fund at https://www.givingback.org/ 

Who Do We Love? BIG BEN!! Who Do We Love? BIG BEN!


Three-year old Maeve (who prefers to say she is “three years of old”) never likes to be too far from her Big Ben doll! But when she is, BIG BEN gets a BIG HUG when they finally reunite! (Photo: Mom Naomh)



And three-year old Wyatt left his Big Ben doll at grandma’s house! Whew, what an ordeal!! But the crisis has been averted and now that he has him back, the plan is to keep him close from here on out! (Photo: Dad Mark)


🎵 The jig is up, the news is out, we’ve finally found her…🎵


Wait…this little cheerleader isn’t just a Lil’ Fan!! She’s also a Lil’ Wrenegade!! Eight-month old Wren will be cheering on her QB and her team on Sunday, for sure!! (Photo: Nana Mary Beth).



So dad says two-year old Millie is Big Ben’s #2 fan, because HE’S Big Ben’s #1 fan! But Millie respectfully disagrees. She also thinks she looks way cuter in her #7 jersey than her dad! Yeah, we’re definitely gonna go with Millie on this one! (Photo: Dad Brady).



Grandma is convinced that four-month old Remi’s first words will be “Here we go Steelers!”. (Photo: Grandma Stephanie).


Meet our beautiful October model for a very special ‘Awareness Month’:


“My daughter Chloe has achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. Sunday, October 25th is Dwarfism Awareness Day (all month is Awareness Month) so I was hoping maybe you could highlight her in all her Steeler glory!! My goal is to raise awareness and “normalize” dwarfism, and what better way to do that than with an adorable baby rocking her Steelers gear!!” — Melissa Hess.

You can learn more about Dwarfism Awareness Month here.


You can see all of our Lil’ Fans here.

“He is playing really good football. He’s not forcing things. It’s a very unselfish group of receivers, you don’t hear anybody yelling, wanting the ball. He has just been able to sit there and take what the defense has been giving him and I think he’s having a lot of fun playing the game.” — Bill Cowher.

More from CBS Sports:

Fresh off a 38-29 win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week, the Steelers sit atop the AFC North thanks to an unblemished 4-0 record. The defense has been strong and the offense has been rolling right along thanks to the return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

After missing last season with an elbow injury, it was uncertain what the team would get out of the 38-year-old QB this season. Thus far, it’s been a career-best completion percentage (69.9%), touchdown percentage (7%) and interception percentage (0.7%). Though he’s topped 300 yards just once, but he hasn’t had to get into shootouts because of the strength of the defense.

Roethlisberger’s old coach, Super Bowl XL winner and The NFL Today analyst Bill Cowher says he believes the year off gave Big Ben some “renewed freshness” in approaching the game.

“Sometimes, you don’t appreciate something until it’s been taken away from you. What happened last year is, football was taken away from him,” said Cowher in an interview with CBS Local’s Ryan Mayer. “He sat on that sideline and watched a team that really transformed from an offensive team into a defensive team when they picked up Minkah Fitzpatrick, harnessed Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt, they got Tuitt back this year, he was out last year. Devin Bush is in his second year. It’s a very solid defense. And, all of a sudden, he sees these young receivers and he’s coming back into it with a renewed freshness and new perspective on things and a chance to do this again.”

That perspective, combined with an enviable arsenal of weapons at receiver and a solid offensive line have played a big part in Roethlisberger’s hot start to the season.


You can read the rest here.

“I am just glad we are winning football games. You know me, it’s not about stats, it’s not about numbers, it’s about winning football games. Coming back from an injury, not playing last year, I was a little worried about my play and what was going to happen. I think I told you guys that before the first game, that my biggest concern was letting the team down and losing the game for them. I am just glad we are winning football games.” — Ben.

From Teresa Varley at Steelers.com:

It’s not the first time he has said it this season, and it’s not going to be the last.

Ben Roethlisberger’s focus is simple.

He just wants to win.

Roethlisberger’s evaluation of his own play on a weekly basis has been very critical. He has been tougher on himself than anyone else on the team has been. But he is off to a strong start with 10 touchdown passes through four games and just one interception. You won’t hear him talking about that though, instead talking about the ones he missed.

Roethlisberger also mentioned the mental aspect of the game when he spoke on Wednesday morning.

“Sometimes when you get to this age, in life and in football, you have to find ways to win the game mentally as well,” said Roethlisberger. “That is what I am trying to do.”

Roethlisberger said one area of his game he is really trying to work on this year is not turning the ball over, with just one interception. He will be challenged this week going against the Cleveland Browns, who have an NFL high 12 takeaways so far this season, including six interceptions.

“I am just trying not to turn the ball over,” said Roethlisberger. “Obviously not putting up big passing numbers, yards per attempt, all of those things. For me I just don’t want to turn the ball over. That is the biggest thing I am trying to work on. That is going to be the biggest thing this week because I think this team leads the league in turnovers.”

He also wants to try and connect better on his deep passes, something he isn’t hesitating to attempt, but something that hasn’t gotten to the point where he is pleased yet.

“I am not shying away from throwing it, I just want to connect on it a little more,” said […]