at Steelers training camp, but Big Ben didn’t mind at all!

“It’s fun. You know, it kind of takes you back to a high school kind of feel — obviously the high school field and all that stuff. But it’s fun to be able to come out and do this every year.” — Ben, during night practice on Friday at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.

From WPXI:

The Steelers practiced under the lights Friday night as thousands of fans filled Latrobe Memorial Stadium in Latrobe.

Friday’s night practice allowed more than 7,000 fans from near and far to get an up-close look at the current team.

The annual event also allows fans the opportunity to get autographs from players.

Jay Golnoski came to Latrobe from Baltimore. His son received an autograph from Ben Roethlisberger.

“My little guy here has got his Ben jersey on, and Ben came right to him and signed his shirt,” said Golnoski. “Perfect day. Worth the trip.”


You can read more and see video from Friday’s practice here.




A few more photos from the weekend:


Nicole White @cole413
Got my autograph!! Thanks @_BigBen7 for being awesome!! #SteelersTrainingCamp


“Ben made my 9 year old sons summer when he signed his football Friday night. Thank you Ben for giving so much time and attention to all of the kids.” — Michele Reynolds Rush (via Facebook)


Coach Mason™ ‏@MWerner55
Finally got my pic signed at camp today. You’re the man Ben! @_BigBen7


Julie Gurnick ‏@jgurnick9
Awe dear Jesus, my heart still isn’t beating normally @_BigBen7 #NFLTrainingCamp



You can see more here!

Police & Fire Departments: The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund is accepting requests for grants for the 2014-2015 grant cycle.

“Welcome SANTO to our department. Ofc Shawn Fritsch picked him up from Denver, Indiana, Von Liche Kennels on Sunday. Thanks to the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for the funding to help improve our community.” – Posted by the Wausau (MI) Police Department on their official Facebook page, March 26, 2014.

This marks the eighth grant cycle for the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. The majority of the grants distributed will help K-9 units to purchase dogs and dog safety vests, but other types of needs are also considered.

Ben’s foundation will be distributing grants in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers during the 2014 NFL season.

He is inviting police and fire departments in these eight cities to submit proposals detailing their needs.

Also, for each Steelers’ appearance in a playoff game, a grant will be awarded to a non-NFL market city anywhere in the United States that would not otherwise be eligible to apply. In addition, the Foundation will continue to make grants to several police and fire department K-9 units in the Pittsburgh area following Super Bowl XLIX.

The Foundation distributed $157,600 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2013 NFL season and has distributed in excess of $1.2 million since 2007.

*Eligible departments must apply to The Giving Back Fund by August 15, 2014.

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.


You can view the full grant requirements, eligibility and evaluation process, please visit http://www.givingback.org/documents/RFP_2014_BRF_app.pdf.

You can also see the guidelines on Ben’s Foundation page here.

And you can enjoy more photos in the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation album here.


Update:

Ben’s foundation fundraiser in June raised more than $218,000 to help fund police and fire K9 units as well as the Make A Wish Foundation.

You can pick up a copy of the August issue of WHIRL magazine to read more about Ben’s event and enjoy some great photos!

via the website’s Twitter page!


Teresa Varley ‏@Teresa_Varley
@_BigBen7 signs for fans before practice. #Steelers


mary leblanc @mhall00
Thank you @_BigBen7 for giving my daughter your shoe today. It def made her day!


Steelers #1 Fan @JoeSteelerFan
Ben Roethlisberger stayed nearly 30 mins. after practice signing for as many as he could. Very generous with his time today. #Steelers



And Ben checked in with the DVE Morning Show!

You can watch & listen to his interview here!

“It’s family. The Pittsburgh Steelers are family, from the Rooneys down. It means a lot because there’s a lot of love from the Rooney family to the coaches to the players and the players back to the Rooneys.” — Ben

More from Ben’s interview with Mike Prisuta at Steelers.com:

The Steelers organization and the franchise quarterback are on the same page as it relates to Ben Roethlisberger’s immediate and long-term future.

General Manager Kevin Colbert said today he doesn’t see “a circumstance where Ben won’t finish his career here.”

And Roethlisberger doesn’t want to envision one.

“That’s always been what I’ve said, too,” Roethlisberger acknowledged this afternoon at Saint Vincent College. “I said it last year when the erroneous NFL Network reports came out (about Roethlisberger being unhappy in Pittsburgh and being expected to ask the organization to explore possibilities of a trade in the offseason).

“I want to be here.”

Steelers President Art Rooney II reiterated on Friday the team’s “intent” to sign Roethlisberger to a long-term contract extension after the upcoming season, and he said the Roethlisberger camp has been informed of the Steelers’ plans.

“We wanted to make sure they were understanding that we do want to make a commitment, that we do want to address Ben’s contract next year,” Rooney told Steelers.com. “It’s not a situation where we’re saying we want to put it on hold. We did assure him that next year is the time frame in which we want to address it.”

It’s an arrangement with which Roethlisberger is more than happy to take his chances.

“Every time you step on the field it’s a gamble, whether you’re in a contract year or you just got a contract or whatever, because it’s a very violent, physical sport. But you know what? We play it, we know the risk. We just go out and give it everything we have.

“We can’t worry about getting hurt or playing safe. I’m not going to get rid of the ball any quicker this year because I’m thinking about not getting hurt. I’m going to give it everything I have like I always do.”

If things eventually work out as Roethlisberger and the Steelers plan, he will have started and would ultimately finish his career with the same franchise.

“It would mean a lot,” Roethlisberger said. “It would mean […]

“Ben’s at that point in his career where he’s got big-time focus and has an awesome personal life with the growth of his family. He’s just in a good place. We’re expecting big things from him.” — Coach Tomlin

From Jim Corbett, USA Today:

In this summer of Johnny Football, two-time Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is somewhat forgotten in the shadow cast by Cleveland Browns rookie national media magnet Johnny Manziel, who has yet to throw a preseason pass.

Roethlisberger shrugs the potential slight off the way he would a blitzer perhaps because he has never worked harder in an offseason to have the best season entering his 11th season.

“It doesn’t bother me because I’d rather slide under the radar,” Roethlisberger told USA TODAY Sports Monday when asked about the spotlight on Manziel. “I’ll let them have all the attention and we’ll just go to work. We just want to be the best team we can be. And we’ve got the them (Cleveland Browns) Week 1.”

In 10 seasons, Roethlisberger has led the Steelers to four division titles, three AFC Championships and two Lombardi Trophies.

Yet Roethlisberger consistently is ranked behind Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and others despite owning a 105-51 career record, including 10-4 in the playoffs.

Roethlisberger owns franchise records with his 63.3 completion percentage, 219 touchdowns, 34, 105 passing yards.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get that credit,” Roethlisberger said. “It will probably be when I’m done. People will look back and say, ‘Wow, he was better than we gave him credit for.’


You can read more from Ben’s interview here.



And check out this video from Ken Laird at TribLIVE Radio, today:

“Roethlisberger at work with Lance Moore, J. Brown, Wheaton, & Moye during Steelers camp drill today”