From Alan Robinson, at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The offseason officially arrived only hours before, yet Ben Roethlisberger already was eager to talk about the 2014 season with offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

The topic: the no-huddle offense.

The idea: to begin next season with the no-huddle as the Steelers’ base offense.

“We got to the point (of the season) where it was like, ‘OK, this is where we’re at our best,’ ” Roethlisberger said.

Looking at the numbers, he’s right.

The Steelers began using the no-huddle far more frequently beginning with the Bills’ game Nov. 10, which coincidentally began the second half of the season.

The idea was to take elite pass rusher Mario Williams out of the game, and it worked; he didn’t have a sack or even get close to Roethlisberger.

It probably worked even better than Roethlisberger, Haley and quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner figured it would.

“We’ve been tweaking things, changing things, adding things and taking things out,” Roethlisberger said. “I think it’s come a long way. I think it’s evolved for the better.”

Those 223 points were sixth in the NFL.

Roethlisberger didn’t throw for as many yards in the second half (1,872) as he did in the first (2,145), but that’s a byproduct of having the lead more often and not needing to throw as much, plus an upgraded running game.

The biggest statistical turnaround: Roethlisberger was sacked only 11 times after the no-huddle became the offense of choice, compared to a whopping 32 times in the first half. He also threw only five interceptions in the second half of the season, compared to nine in Games 1-8.

“(The) production has gone up, and I think that the mistakes have really come down,” said Roethlisberger, who calls the plays in the no-huddle. “I think the guys really enjoy (running the no-huddle). I’m sure if you ask the receivers, they like it. Le’Veon (Bell) likes it, mixing in the run and the pass so it’s not so pass-heavy.”

You can read more from Mr. Robinson’s column here.

If you watched the Rose Bowl Parade on this New Year’s Day, you may have caught one special float passing along the parade route!

Los Angeles television station KTLA – Channel 5 captured this great image of the K9s4Cops float as it made it made it’s way down the main street:

@KTLA 5 News
Real police dogs accompany the #RoseParade float representing the charity K9s4Cops.org

K9s4Cops, founded in 2010, is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that every law enforcement officer who is in need of a K9 has one at their side and ready for action….much like the goal of The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation!

In fact, K9s4Cops is no stranger to Ben’s foundation. They were instrumental in helping the Houston Police Department put together a grant in the summer of 2011.

When the agency was awarded a grant during that NFL season, k9s4Cops tweeted a “Thank You” to Ben, telling their followers that “our next crime fighting K9 ‘Big Ben’ will proudly wear the #7 on his collar!!”.

K9s4Cops has also given Ben’s website some great portrait-style and action photos to use when posting foundation grant news!

Congratulations to K9s4Cops for having the best looking float at the parade!


You can read more about their organization here.

You can read more about Ben’s foundation here.

to look ahead at the 2014 season!

Steelers.com has provided a list of who the team, and the fans, can look forward to seeing during the 2014 NFL season!

The dates and times will be announced some time this Spring, but the Pittsburgh Steelers already know their 2014 opponents and the sites of the games.

In addition to the normal slate against AFC North rivals, next season the Steelers and their fans will welcome Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, and the new coaches of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans to Heinz Field.

The other non-division opponent on the Steelers’ 2014 home schedule will be the Kansas City Chiefs, whose coach, Andy Reid, should be in line for a respectful round of applause from the home crowd for the way he played to win last Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.

Unlike 2013 when the Steelers had trips to California and London during a four-week segment of their schedule, there are no long trips on the docket for 2014.

The following is the 2014 Steelers schedule, with opponents listed alphabetically:

HOME: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, New Orleans, Tampa Bay

AWAY: Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New York Jets, Tennessee


You can read more here!



HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!

….LOUD and CLEAR!


After listening to Big Ben’s post-game interview last night, many Steelers fans wanted to let Ben know how they felt about him, the team and the season!

Below are just a few of the many emails, Facebook comments and tweets to Ben last night and this morning:

“Steeler fan for life! Love you Ben” — Rochelle Kenney


“You guys should be proud, with the poor start and all the injuries, you still played tough..Proud to be a member of Steeler Nation.” — Kim Rowles


@_BigBen7 said there would be no quit in him or Steelers and there wasn’t! Heartbroken of the outcome, but so excited of the future. — Josh Mescia @themesh23


@_BigBen7 Never been more proud of a Steelers team! What a fight, guys!! Luv u all to death!! STEELERS FOREVER!!! — Aaron Campbell @AaronC44814

“Hey Big Man watching the replay of the game today I love the shots of you going to each one of the players giving them that hug and confidence before every game. I cannot say enough how glad I am that you are a Steeler my favorite Q.B of all time My MVP, My All pro and one of my favorite pro athletes of all time!!!” — Henderson Thomas

“best thing is you found out what works leading into next season.” — Mike Runewicz


@_BigBen7 A big thank you. — Ron DeFrance – @rondefrance


“I as a Steeler fan still and always will love ya guys!!! We almost had Our foot in the Playoffs sorry that did not happen..But, There is always next year!” — Jackie Bowe


“Still proud of my team and one heckuva way to end the season. No post-season, no problem. Least we fought to the end and that’s the sign of a true championship team. Can’t always have a great season, but can still find ways to exude greatness. That’s why I love my Steelers. Still betting we see 7 before anyone else sees 6. Steeler Nation for life.” — Matthew Thies


@_BigBen7 @AntonioBrown84 @steelers proud of our steelers. Played through diversity, never gave up. #SteelerNation #fanforlife — Larry Simon @simonlhhs


“Proud of the fantastic comeback after a scary start […]

From Ben’s post-game interview:


From 0-4 to 8-8 –

Proud of the fight! Obviously we started really tough, but there was no quit, like we said there wouldn’t be.

I’m really proud of what has happened. We started 0-4 and things aren’t looking so good, and we have one of the worst records in football.

Guys continued to fight and never quit. I will look at satisfaction as happy and proud of the fight and no one quitting.



On what he’s seen from the offense as the season progressed –

Just a lot of guys playing really well and stepping up for each other…we were on our fourth center, our line was playing great. I think it’s been great to see everybody kind of grow -whether it’s huddling or not huddling, hurrying up or slowing down – whatever it is it’s just been growth and getting better every week.


As to the future –

We’re going to build on this whether we’re getting ready for next week or whether we’re getting ready for next year. I think we put together a good foundation,the team is playing well so whatever we are preparing for, building on, we’ll be ready.


You can watch & listen to his interview here (video).


*Steeler Nation – thank you for all your support this season!! Best fans in the world!!

After both a Ravens and a Dolphins loss today, the waiting game begins…


From Scott Brown, ESPN.com’s NFL Nation blog:

As the Steelers’ players scattered after their most improbable ending to a regular season in recent memory, there was palpable hope that Pittsburgh could overcome its first 0-4 start since 1968 and make the playoffs as an 8-8 team.

Most telling of this season was what happened outside of the Steelers’ locker room not long after they had beaten the Browns in Pittsburgh for a 10th consecutive time. Theodora Polamalu hugged someone in her group after hearing that the Chiefs had gone right down the field on their first possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead.

The Chiefs are resting a bunch of key starters making them a long shot to beat the Chargers in San Diego. But the way everything has broken the past two weeks, fate appears to be smiling on the Steelers.

“We’re still hanging on,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said after the Steelers’ 20-7 win at soggy Heinz Field.

One sentiment that prevailed in the home locker room after the game: The Steelers had no business to call out the Chiefs for resting players.

“It sucks you’ve got to depend on other people but we put ourselves in this position,” Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu said. “We made this bed.”

Roethlisberger agreed.

“We got ourselves in a deep hole early,” the 10th-year veteran said. “We knew that and you knew it was going to be tough getting out.”

Whether it was tough or impossible will be known in a couple of hours.


You can read more from Mr. Brown here.

You can see a few game photos here.



Congratulations are in order:

For Lawrence Timmons, the Steelers Digest Player of the Week, and for Le’Veon Bell, who broke Franco Harris’ record for the most yards from scrimmage by a Steelers rookie running back!