From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:

This is a big week for Alan Faneca, the former Pittsburgh Steelers guard who’s a Hall of Fame finalist. ESPN.com will have a story on Faneca’s exceptional performance on and off the field later this week, but in the meantime Faneca shared his views on Ben Roethlisberger, his quarterback from 2004-07.

He’s seen an evolution with Roethlisberger, and he’s not just talking about his throwing ability.

“He definitely has taken the organization and the team and put it on his shoulders,” said Faneca, who played for 10 years with the Steelers, six times an All-Pro. “That’s come a long way from when he first got into the NFL, just as we all evolve. He’s definitely grown into that guy. It’s great to see. He’s taken the team emotionally and physically by what he does on the field.”

Not that Roethlisberger couldn’t lead before, Faneca said, but he believes Roethlisberger has “expanded” on his leadership capacity, as evidenced by him calling on Martavis Bryant to “toughen up” after the wide receiver’s slow stretch before the playoffs. Bryant responded with 267 offensive yards and a touchdown in two playoff games.

Roethlisberger has talked about his lack of maturity as a young player. The Steelers had a veteran-laden team that went 15-1 in Roethlisberger’s rookie year, followed by a Super Bowl the next season.

“As he got more years in, he just started assuming more of a leadership role,” Faneca said. “I’ll see him pull guys over during the pregame and circle them up, a ‘Let’s go, get after it’ moment. It’s just nice to see. He seems more motivational, trying to get guys centered, calling out guys. Knowing when to poke and prod is a thing you learn along the way. On top of that, just going out there and playing how he plays, pulling off the quasi-impossible on those third-and-longs to keep them in the game.”


You can read more here.

has been open for registration for a couple of weeks & already filling up!

“I wanted to send a big thanks to Big Ben and all involved for making it possible for my grandson and all the kids to have this special experience that I know they will never forget!! Such a wonderful weekend for us (his grandparents) and his sister Kylie to experience it with him too! What a fantastic memory for my grandson to have when he caught not one but 2 passes from Ben and one for a TD!! Hoping to make this an annual event! Thanks again!” — K. Siters, from the 2015 camp.

Stop by the SunnyD Ben Roethlisberger ProCamps Football Camp website today and sign your child up with our special promotional code, BigBen7.

Not only are spots filling up fast, but the Citi Private Pass Lunch with Ben is already sold out!

And you’ve got until midnight tonight to take advantage of this: one lucky camper who signs up in January & uses the BigBen7 promotional code for $20 off will be selected to have his or her tuition refunded to attend camp for free!

The Camp is open to boys and girls, grades 1 through 8, and Ben will be joined by a selection of the top prep and college coaches from the area.

Each day, campers will experience various stations, specializing in fundamental skills of football.

Individual groups will be small to assure that each camper gets maximum instruction.

Group rates are available for your team, school, or group of friends! For more information, please contact Alex at aland@procamps.com.

Ben will give daily talks highlighting the finer points of the game of football and beyond, as well as be on the field EVERYWHERE helping coaches and throwing passes. Parents and guests will be able to listen to camp guests in designated areas at each location.

And you never know who will show up to help out #7!

Kids that have attended Ben’s Camp have had the opportunity to meet and get instruction from Bruce Gradkowski, David DeCastro & and Kelvin Beachum, and even Coach Tomlin, who also helped judge the races!

And Ben’s camp is always a family affair!

Ashley & Baylee, Ken & Brenda, sister Carlee, […]

From Teresa Varley’s article at Steelers.com:

Ben’s still Ben: Ben Roethlisberger will turn 34 on March 2, but Steelers’ President Art Rooney II said it isn’t time to start looking for his replacement. Roethlisberger, who signed a new five-year deal last March which will keep him with the Steelers through the 2019 season, threw for 3,938 yards in 2015, his 10th straight season throwing for at least 3,000 yards.

“I don’t think we are starting down that road of who is next after Ben,” said Rooney. “Obviously we have some work to do in terms of who are the backups. We will have some evaluation to do there. As far as I am concerned, Ben didn’t show much sign of falling off this year. So I am looking forward to at least several more years with Ben as our quarterback.”


You can read the other 2 takes here.

…it WAS the Black & Gold Blizzard of 2016!!

And we have the pictures to prove it:


Top Left: Dan and his daughter Brooke dress up their snow-covered Fairfax, VA neighborhood. Top Right: Murielle Raciti & her husband clean off their vehicles in style (Super Bowl style, that is) in New Jersey. Left Bottom: That’s James Cohen from Easton, PA hiding under all that snow, black & gold! Right Bottom: The Steelers shared this little SnowBen on Twitter.




Left: Brian Marshall in his old school Steeler Jacket shovels in York, PA. Top Middle: Jennifer Greco shares her ‪#‎SteelerNation‬ family photo (including a temporary family member – courtesy of the weekend’s blizzard) in New York. Top Right: Jax Galati aka “Mr. Freeze” is Steelers-tough while snowboarding in New Jersey! Bottom Middle: Jim Clarke’s little man gives the storm a big raspberry! It’s totally messing up his daily stroller riding! Bottom Right: Sandra Gentry made a SnowBen in her yard in Tennessee.



Even Sara Martin celebrated her Blizzard Birthday with Black & Gold (icing):

From Rob Rossi, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The Steelers had just finished their final exhibition game, which meant their Most Valuable Player was about to finish playing football for a couple of weeks. Le’Veon Bell, though, insisted there was no reason to worry about the offense while he was sitting out.

Bell nodded toward an empty locker stall that contained Ben Roethlisberger’s clothes.

“That guy,” Bell said. “It doesn’t matter who’s in there, we’ll follow No. 7.”

In this recently completed season, Big Ben’s 12th campaign, he offered his teammates no choice. Whenever he perceived an opportunity to be The Guy, he was that guy.

“Ben has been so great,” Mike Vick said a couple of days after leading the Steelers to an October win at San Diego in Roethlisberger’s absence. “I don’t know what I expected, to be honest. But my first day here, Ben came up to me and said, ‘Whatever you need, I’m your guy.’ That really helped me relax, just hearing that from somebody who means what he does to this franchise.”

Words are easy, though. Leadership is always more about doing than saying.

Vick said Roethlisberger was instrumental in the Steelers tailoring the offense to his skills in the days between a disheartening home loss to the Baltimore Ravens and that thrilling win over the Chargers. Roethlisberger, unable to play because of a battered left knee, served as confidant to Vick and offensive coordinator Todd Haley during that time.

If something wasn’t working, usually Roethlisberger was the one who first spoke up. He knew the offense better than Vick, and he knew best how to communicate with Haley.

Vick is a former franchise quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons, a role he called a double-edged sword.

“You’re being watched in everything that you do,” he said. “I probably didn’t pay enough attention to that when I was younger. I thought I could just go play.

“When I came here, I could see that Ben is aware of what he says and what he does. He’s already given it a lot of thought. Whether he’s giving an interview or talking to a receiver, nothing is by chance with Ben.”

Also not by chance has been Roethlisberger maturing into the leader only he can be.

His leadership style is different from those who first led him, former heart-and-soul Steelers such as Jerome […]

…of Nike’s “Snow Day”!!