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Welcome to the official fan site of Ben Roethlisberger2020-03-02T16:35:30+00:00

Thank you Ben!

From fan Trisha Beeler:

My son Eustis and I would like to thank Ben from the very bottom of our hearts for the very amazing and impressionable first time ever at Steeler’s Training Camp on Wednesday, August 5th.

It exceeded my expectations more than I ever could have dreamed. Thank you so much Ben for making my son’s day!

Trisha
Big Ben so graciously took his cleat off, signed it, and handed it to my son!! It just happened so fast and we were in shock so I’m pretty sure we never got to thank him…

but if you’re reading this now Big Ben, you are our HERO, you are a true class act! — Trisha & Eustis.


Update: Fan Carol Evans saw this “thank you” and wanted to add her own observations from that day –

I was standing right beside this little guy when Ben did this. I thought it was one of the nicest things I had ever seen a player do. We thought Ben passed him by, but then turned around, went back to his cart, took his shoe off, and handed it to this little guy! I patted him on the back, for a job well done! I think Ben’s thanks came from the response of the crowd. He gave his other shoe to a little girl, who was being held by her mother. Way to go Ben!




And another “thank you” for Ben:

I am an auxiliary police officer for the city of Canton, Ohio. On August 9th, Ben got a little lost trying to figure out where to park for the Hall of Fame game.

Bobby_1
With a little help from us, he got parked and in there on time. He was nice enough to take a photo with us, and I just wanted to thank Ben for taking the time to do so! — Bobby Kinser.



Trisha and Bobby, thank you both for sharing your photos and thoughts with us!


By |August 12th, 2015|
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Big Ben: ‘It’s about time’ the Bus got a bust

“A special thanks to a couple of my teammates – Alan Faneca, Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu, Joey Porter…and Ben Roethlisberger! Brother! Without you, I might still be on the doorsteps, brother! I owe you for life!” — Jerome, from his enshrinement speech.



From an interview with WPXI this weekend:

1For many years, Jerome Bettis was the backbone of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense, partly because the team didn’t have an elite quarterback for a long time.

Everything changed, though, late in Bettis’ career when Ben Roethlisberger was drafted by the Steelers.

Rookies learn a lot from veterans, and when Roethlisberger was finding his way in the NFL, Bettis helped shape him as a player.

“(I learned) a lot (from Bettis): how to be a leader, how to be a guy who leads by example and how to talk to players. Just the everyday grind that a guy at his age and that many years in the league was out there practicing almost every single day and that’s why I take pride in being out here,” Roethlisberger said.

In the opening days of this year’s training camp, Roethlisberger joked that Bettis was like an older brother, adding with a smile, “a much older brother.” He said “it’s about time” the Bus got a bust.

“(It’s) so well deserved; just such an awesome person and player. No doubt in my mind and anyone else that you would talk to too that knows Jerome, would tell you, he’s a Hall of Famer off the field as well; just an amazing person. To me one of the best teammates I have ever played with,” Roethlisberger said.

Bettis is the first of Roethlisberger’s teammates to find a home in Canton, but Roethlisberger doesn’t believe he’ll be the last.

“I think Alan Faneca, Troy (will join the Hall of Fame) and I think that’s awesome. I feel honored to play with guys like that, but for myself, I feel like I have a lot to do yet on the football field,” he said.


You can read more here.

You can watch video of Jerome’s speech here.


“Greatness is not a sports term, it’s not a sports term. It’s a LIFE term!” — Jerome, from his speech.




The wheels on the bus go round and round…

and Ben was on board for the ride to Canton!

By |August 9th, 2015|
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Photos from the HOF Dinner


Via Twitter:










Trouble viewing? You can watch it here.


By |August 7th, 2015|
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Gifts, Dinners, Guidance: Big Ben as a leader

Excerpts from Dan Pompei’s article/interview with Ben and his teammates at Bleacher Report:

“How Ben Roethlisberger Grew Up and Became One of the NFL’s Great Teammates”

Helping teammates on the field –

080615On a sunny summer morning at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on Pittsburgh’s South Side, we find wide receiver Markus Wheaton running a crossing route. He catches a dart from Ben Roethlisberger in an OTA practice. Despite the glowering defensive presence of James Harrison, Wheaton continues across the field.

The veteran linebacker, as solid and thick as an overpass support beam, has built a career out of making foolish receivers regret the day they first tried on a helmet. If this had been a game—or maybe even a training camp practice—the play would have concluded with Wheaton flat on his back, incapable of counting to three.

Afterward, Roethlisberger calls Wheaton over. Some quarterbacks might give their receiver a tip on how to avoid the linebacker or applaud him for bravery. Roethlisberger does something different. Quietly, he tells Wheaton to get down next time. He is not concerned about how many extra passing yards he might get if Wheaton stays on his feet. He is concerned about his receiver’s well-being.

The small gesture escaped the notice of many—but not all. Veteran guard Ramon Foster overheard the exchange. He says it was one of the most impressive things he’s ever heard a teammate say to another. Foster says it speaks to Roethlisberger’s “devotion” to his teammates.

“It’s not just him working on himself,” Foster said. “He wants to help others be better.”

From the beginning –

080615_1When he came to Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger was given some well-meaning advice: “Don’t get too close to your teammates. There is too much turnover in the NFL, and you’ll be sorry when you lose your friends.” And so he kept a distance.

“There are some guys who had animosity towards me, and probably rightfully so,” Roethlisberger said. “I probably could have helped that by being a humble guy who was the best teammate I could be.”

With guidance from his father Ken and his agent Ryan Tollner, Roethlisberger started to see the big picture in his fourth season.

Roethlisberger’s fifth NFL season concluded in Raymond James Stadium with confetti falling on the Steelers like snowflakes in […]

By |August 6th, 2015|
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Bettis: Ben finally getting chance to show full skill set

From Jeremy Fowler at ESPN.com today:

080415Jerome Bettis doesn’t have to give compliments this summer. He’s being inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday. He’s supposed to receive them.

But Bettis perked up when asked recently about the development of Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who’s finally being mentioned among today’s quarterback greats after a 4,952-yard season and 103.3 passer rating.

Bettis thinks Roethlisberger has been underappreciated, and here’s why:

“We knew he was special. You could see it,” said Bettis, who played with Roethlisberger from 2004-05 before retiring. “He was limited in terms of his opportunities. It wasn’t even a question mark. When you have players like that, even if numbers don’t say it, you see it. Some of the passes he threw, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ I’ve been around some quarterbacks, but he’s different — like, even having the thought to throw to that particular guy. I’m glad now he’s getting the chance to showcase that.”

When Bettis played with Roethlisberger, the quarterback averaged 281.5 passing attempts per season. The last two years, he’s averaging double that, at 596 attempts per season. That total is partly a byproduct of Todd Haley’s system and the league trending toward pass-first offenses. But i’s also a sign of Roethlisberger’s growth.

The Steelers’ supporting cast around Roethlisberger “has the potential to be even better than when we were all there,” Bettis said. Antonio Brown has been the NFL’s most productive receiver the last few years, and Le’Veon Bell was second in rushing and receptions by a running back.

Roethlisberger has said recently that Bettis was “a big brother” to him, especially in teaching him about how to relate to teammates.

Bettis will share in the celebration of Roethlisberger’s success.

“I take pride in his development as a player,” Bettis said. “To become one of the best in the NFL, very prideful.”


You can read more from Mr. Fowler’s blog here.


By |August 4th, 2015|
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