Today, Ben announced the third grant of the 2015-16 season from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund.

The Foundation will be distributing a grant to the El Cajon Police Department just east of San Diego where the Steelers will play the Chargers on October 12th. The El Cajon Police plan to use the grant toward the purchase of a new K-9 for their four-dog unit.

“Thank you for considering the San Diego Police Department. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation made an excellent choice in the El Cajon Police Department. I have gotten to know their command staff quite well and they are a worthy and deserving recipient. As a member of the K9 community, I wanted to say thank you to you and the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for supporting the police K9 community. As you know, these great tools are a vital life saving resource and your support nationally will only improve police responses to critical incidents and subsequently, influence the perception the public has on what we do. In this day and age it is refreshing to see this kind of support. I don’t have to be a recipient to say thank you.” — Lieutenant Duane Voss, San Diego Police Department Canine Unit.

During the 2015-16 NFL season, The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation will be distributing grants to K-9 units of police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers. The Foundation will also distribute several grants to the Pittsburgh area and will consider a grant to a non-NFL market city in the United States for each playoff game in which the Steelers compete. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invited police and fire departments across the country to submit proposals detailing their needs.

This marks the ninth season that The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has distributed grants to K-9 units. The mission of the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation 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, PA. Roethlisberger and the Foundation also support Make-A-Wish.

The Foundation distributed more than $130,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2014-15 NFL season and has distributed in excess of $1.3 million since 2007.

“The El […]

Just in case you missed it on 93.7 this morning, here’s a recap:


Let’s start with an injury update status from HIM –

“I saw Dr. Bradley and he was really pleased with the way things are coming. We’re just going to keep taking it week by week and try and get back as soon as I can.”


On the pain he’s dealing with –

“There’s still quite a bit of pain from the bone bruise. The MCL isn’t super painful. I feel it when I walk at times but the problem is if I walk without a brace…when you kick your leg forward as if you’re just walking, it feels like you leg is just kind of flopping.”


Does the original 4-6 week time table still apply?

“I think so. What we’re trying not to do is put a time on it and just go week-by-week. Basically say, ‘I’m out this week, we’ll reevaluate it next week and see if and what I can do.’ To me, that’s the better way and maybe the more optimistic way to look at it. Rather than put a number on it, lets just take it one week at a time.”


And those reports this past weekend about him returning for the Chiefs game?

“That does not come from me or our doctors. I just left Dr. Bradley and he said, ‘Where do these reports come from that you’re coming back at a certain week?’ I’m like, ‘ I don’t know doc, I haven’t really heard any of them.’ So I assume that’s exactly what he was talking about. We know that people like to just speculate and say things. So that did not come from me, the Steelers or any of our doctor’s more importantly.”


What is he doing now that he can’t practice or play?

“I’m there doing everything I can. Helping [Vick], trying to answer questions, being a sounding board for him, for Coach Haley for Randy [Fichtner]. I try and be as involved as I can.”


On Mike Vick’s play as quarterback in the Ravens loss?

“I still think he played pretty well…I think what you’ll see more than just him being better prepared is more cohesiveness between him and AB.

“The only tough part that we talked about, and we had […]

Make it a Black & Ghoul..uh..Gold Halloween this year…

and share it with us!!

If you have a Big Ben (or maybe one of his teammates like Antonio or Maurkice, or maybe a lil’ legend like Troy or DaBeard…or even a lil’ Terrible Towel) going out for Halloween, attending a costume party, or dressing up for school and you’d like to send us their photo, we’d love to post it in Ben’s Steelers Halloween Album on Halloween weekend.

Send your photo(s) via email to:

bigben7website@gmail.com and we’ll post ’em in Ben’s Halloween Album!


Wait! You say you need some inspiration?

Just check out some of these great submissions from Steeler Nation last year –


Several #7’s were scrambling for candy last Halloween:


6-year old Cohen Rogers insisted on dressing up as Ben for Halloween (doing that in Browns country isn’t easy). He’s doing his “Big Ben post-touchdown” impression for us.

Meghan Kamlowsky tells us her 2-year old son (top middle) loves Ben! “He watches him play every game! He pointed at Ben when I asked him what he wanted to be when he got big!”, said Meghan.

The two game-face dudes (top right) are Stone Cole as Big Ben & Shane Cole as Troy. They were all business when it came to receiving candy!!

Bodie Decore and big sister Emmy Decore (bottom center) from Shawnee, OH couldn’t wait for it to finally get dark last October 31st!

Salvador Hernandez (bottom right) sent his photo all the way from Mexicali Baja California, México.



Big members of Steeler Nation are welcome too:


Ben poses with, whoa, I mean Ben look-a-like David Helmontaller (left) poses with a buddy from work dressed as a recipient of a Ben Roethlisberger Foundation grant (okay, not really); and Ben look-a-like John McFarland (right) poses with his buddy, Sadiq Hough, dressed as Coach Tomlin.



It’s all about Steelers football for this family – even on Halloween!


The Poulter’s were ready to hit the field – or rather, the neighborhood! Left to right: 1-year old Lily is a cheerleader, Alexis as a referee, Mike […]

Danielle Coll @DanielleMColl
You will never see a bigger fan of his teammates than Big Ben. Just another reason to love #7. Get well soon Ben!! @_BigBen7 @steelers

Andrea @Andreainpghpa
Watching @_BigBen7 cheering on his team is ALMOST as much fun as watching him play!

Kelly McCall ‏@KellyBigben
@_BigBen7 Great to see you smiling & walking on the field! I hope each day you feel better than the last ❤️#7 bigfan

From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:

Ben Roethlisberger is walking around on the Heinz Field sideline four days after spraining his left medial collateral ligament, which is considered a good sign for the franchise quarterback because he’s ditched the crutches.

Roethlisberger is expected to watch tonight’s Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens game from the sideline and serve as a de facto coach. Roethlisberger said during the week he was negotiating with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who has a no-crutches-on-the-sideline policy, to be with his teammates during the game.

He got his wish.


More from Mr. Fowler here.



Also from Thursday night:

The many faces of Cheerleading Ben.



And check this out:



What a great photo from Teresa Varley of #7 & #36 during the Steelers halftime presentation for Jerome Bettis!



Tonight on NFL Network at 9:00 PM (ET):

“A Football Life: Jerome Bettis” – From Detroit to Notre Dame, LA to Pittsburgh and finally to Canton, a grand tour on the only Bus to stop at the pro football Hall of Fame.


Then at 10:00 PM (ET):

“A Football Life: Joe Greene” – The life and times of Mean Joe Greene, foundation of the Steel Curtain and the first Pittsburgh Steeler to have his number retired in 50 years.

…by email, twitter and Facebook from the World’s Best Fans:


We’re going to start with a lil’ story about a lil’ fan whose heart was almost broken on Sunday…but thanks to Ben, it does have a happy ending!


Marin McLeod just turned 7-years old and wanted to see her “absolute favorite” player LIVE on the field, so her parents drove last weekend from Chicago to St. Louis so she could do just that. But her mom, Melissa, told us that when Big Ben went down with his injury, Marin burst into tears. No amount of consoling was going to make her feel better. In fact, after Ben was carted off the field, she was ready to go home, tears and all!!

She was so worried when she got back home that she wanted her parents to contact Ben to check on him! Well…when Ben saw her sad little face from the family’s email, he wanted to make sure she knew he was “A-OK” – so he posed in the training room on Tuesday morning with the “thumbs up” sign and we sent it to her.

Needless to say, Marin was very relieved (and made quick plans to have her dad print out the photo for her).

From Melissa, “Marin attends Catholic school. She’s in 2nd grade and is working on her sacrament this year. Penance is coming up fast. When I asked her this morning who she said her prayers for — she said Ben!”.



More from Steeler Nation –


Joanna Forbes ‏@forbes_joanna
Get well soon Ben! A lot of little guys cheering for you! @_BigBen7 #steelernation


“Hi Ben. I just had to add my voice to the chorus of well-wishers hoping you make a speedy recovery. You are the best!” — Love, Maria Van Buskirk


Catalina & John Trujillo: Steeler Nation is praying for you Big Ben, take care of yourself, Steeler Nation will be here when your healed 100%, no use rushing it, your health is more important than a game.

“Ben, I want to start out by telling you I do love football, I play fantasy football (hell i drafted you) and I’m a niner fan. I am sorry so much of football fandom […]