Today Ben announced the second and third grants of the 2013-14 season from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund.

“The Fort Lee Police Department is honored to be the recipient of the Roethlisberger Foundation grant. This grant will enable Fort Lee to expand our K-9 unit and enhance the safety of our community through proactive patrols which combat drugs and criminal activity.” — Chief Keith Bendul, Fort Lee Police Department.

The Foundation will be distributing grants to the Fort Lee Police Department and the Fairfield Police Department, both in New Jersey, where the Steelers will play the Jets on Sunday, October 13 at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford.

Fort Lee PD will apply the grant funds to purchase a new K-9 dog for their unit while the Fairfield Police plan to use the funds to properly outfit a K-9 vehicle with a rear seat insert, automatic door opening system and fan, all for the dog’s safety.

During the 2013-14 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. Ben invited police and fire departments across the country to submit proposals detailing their needs.

This marks the seventh season that Ben’s 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. Ben also strives to support Make-A-Wish through his foundation as well.

The Foundation distributed more than $135,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2012 NFL season and has distributed in excess of $950,000 since 2007.


You can learn more about Ben’s foundation here.


*Photo: Fanfare Magazine, 2008 – Ben poses with his beloved dogs, Hercules and Zeus (courtesy of Duane Rieder).

Big Ben met with journalists and reporters today before practice. Among the topics he was asked about was his bye, the Jets defense and Coach Rex Ryan, the mood in the Steelers locker room, his injured finger, the offensive line changes, and teammate Ryan Clark’s comments on ESPN’s “First Take”.

Some of the highlights:

Did a week off help?

Yeah. It was nice to kind of get away and forget about football for a little bit. Kind of recharge the battery.


Did you have a chance to watch the Jets Monday?

A little bit, until I fell asleep. I watched a really good team go down to a tough place to play against, what I think, is a good Falcons’ team and good Falcons’ offense. The Jets’ defense is very good.


Re: The Jets young defense:

It reminds you a lot of a defense that I’ve played a lot against, ours and the old Baltimore. Mixing things around, showing all kinds of different looks, blitzing, just anything you can draw up. Coach Ryan is a very intelligent defensive coach, and sometimes you look at things and you’re like, “Did he just draw that up, literally on the sidelines?” He’s that good. They’re ranked number-two for a reason.


Are they also a group that can overpower you?

Oh yeah. It’s not just finesse and confusion. I think it is finesse, confusion and power. I think they have a bunch of different things that can get to an offense, and that’s what makes them so talented.


Not a lot of teams put 10-11 defenders across the line of scrimmage. Do you almost welcome that? If they’re going to leave the deep part open, do you sense opportunity there?

If you have time to get it off. That’s the issue you come across when you see a zero-blitz and everyone is up, and everyone is going. It’s not easy. If you can just get a little bit of time and get the ball off, you’re good. But the key is blocking it up and giving yourself just a second of time.


Do you look at the standings and think that you are still kind of in this?

Not really. For us, it’s about breaking the season down into quarters and the first quarter is over. It didn’t end the way we wanted it […]

The #1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger Show features an in-studio visit from the Steelers’ quarterback himself, his lovely wife Ashley AND Benjamin, Jr!


From today’s appearance with Vinnie & Cook on Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan:

Although Roethlisberger has seen improvement from the team from week to week, the Steelers are still looking for their first win of the year.

“It doesn’t make you sleep any better at night saying you were close,” Ben said. “A loss is still a loss, if you ask me. But we do feel like we’re in games and we’re being competitive. We just need to find a way to get over that hump.”

“I am always their number-one supporter, no matter what,” Ben said of his offensive linemen. “And I tell them this. But there comes a time where if you’re not playing up to par, coach has to make a decision. He’s doing that with Mike.”

“If you’re Mike Adams you’ve got to take the approach of, ‘Wow, I’m now third on the depth chart. I need to probably pick it up a little bit,'” Roethlisberger said. “Maybe this is exactly what he needs to get to that next level, to be that high-profile guy. I know he can be that guy, and I’ve got confidence in him that he can be.”

Ben is also encouraged by rookie running back Le’Veon Bell’s debut, “He showed me some glimpses of what Adrian Peterson can do.”. He also reacts to Ryan Clark calling his shot for the playoffs, looks ahead to this Sunday’s matchup against the surprising New York Jets, and the amazing Pirates!


Hear Ben’s entire chat with Vinnie & Cook here (bottom of page)!


*Thank you to KDKA, 93.7 The Fan, and Vinnie Richichi of the Vinne & Cook Show!

Say “Trick or Treat” STEELERS-style this October 31st!!!


If you have a Big Ben going out for Halloween or attending a costume party this year and you’d like to send us their photo, we’d love to post it in Ben’s Steelers Halloween Album.

Buddies Ben & Troy out on Halloween night (when they’re not Ben and Troy, they are Denise Blanton’s 3-yr old twins Donovan and Silas Blanton)!

Now what if your Trick or Treater is heading out for treats dressed as Troy Polamalu, Brett Keisel, or maybe Heath Miller or Maurkice Pouncey?

That’s fine too!

Snap their photo, send it via email and we’ll post ’em all in Ben’s Halloween Album!



Did we mention that Big Kids are welcome too?

“My sister and I are huge Steeler fans, especially Big Ben fans. We travel every year to training camp, and as many games as possible throughout the season. This year during Halloween we decided to dress up as Big Ben and Troy! We thought it was a fun picture, maybe you can share it. P.S. – Check out the tape on the left finger.” — Gina and JorDana Trani

You can also send photos of your Steelers-themed Halloween decorations, like this Big Ben carved pumpkin! And don’t forget your four-legged Trick or Treaters!



The Trick or Treaters were out in force at the Roethlisberger house the past two years and Ben shared their photos too!

They were showing up at the door as fast as Ben was sending the photos!

Ben and Ashley were busy handing out candy and snapping photos to share of a few of the scary, the spooky, the funny, the pretty, and the down-right cute kids that showed up at their door!


You can see their collection of photos in Ben’s album here (bottom of page 3 & top of page 4) and here (bottom of page 6 & top of page 7).



*If you would like to share photos this Halloween, send them in an email to: bigben7website@gmail.com

“Ben’s performance was absolutely unbelievable. And the fact they were one play away from tying the game tells you a heck of a lot about his competitiveness and toughness and his ability to make plays. But he’s not lasting the season if they don’t shore up that left tackle spot. It’s that simple.” — Bill Polian, from the article below.

From Alan Robinson, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Bill Polian, a six-time NFL executive of the year, recently saw one of the greatest quarterbacking performances he’s witnessed during more than a half-century of football watching.

He called it “phenomenal” and “unbelievable.”

Peyton Manning’s seven touchdown passes on the NFL’s opening night?

No, an under-siege Ben Roethlisberger’s play as he nearly rallied the Steelers from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter during their 34-27 loss to the Vikings in London last Sunday.

Polian marveled at how Roethlisberger completed 36 of 51 passes for 383 yards, one touchdown and one interception in London despite being forced to improvise on nearly every play behind an offensive line that could barely protect him.

“Ben Roethlisberger put on the greatest single individual display, south of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and Drew Brees, that I have seen in a long time — maybe in my entire career,” said Polian, who drafted Manning with the Colts 15 years ago.

Polian, appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, wasn’t done praising Roethlisberger, who has operated without running game support or reliable pass protection all season.

“He was just phenomenal,” Polian said. “He avoided or shrugged off at least four sacks. He made plays down the field that were unbelievable, and he was under duress all night from snap 1.


You can read more here.

In fact, you can find it this weekend at Irons Mill Farmstead, an agritourism farm located in scenic Western Pennsylvania!


You can enjoy it with the Milliron Family, owners of the Farmstead, and support the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at the same time!

Irons Mill Farmstead has a 10-acre corn maze, gigantic jumping pillow, tire mountain, hay maze, super slides, farm animals, pumpkins, and tons of fun for kids from 2 to 92.

Oh, and this isn’t just any old corn maze! This is STEELERS COUNTRY so we’re talking about a 10-acre STEELERS CORN MAZE!


“This year we decided to make our corn maze design STEELERS! In doing so, we like to choose a relevant organization to work with to offer a fundraising opportunity. We chose the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation as a way to show our appreciation to those men and women in our police and fire depts. who risk their lives to serve and protect us. Our family is thankful for the incredible sacrifices they make each and every day. As a family farm, we know the important role animals play in all of our lives. It is so neat to see how the unique talents of animals can be utilized for such amazing things! We love the fact that we can support the men and women who rely on highly trained animals for support and protection.” — Stacy Milliron


Irons Mill Farmstead is located at 252 Greenfield Road in New Wilmington.


Just click on this link and print out the poster to take advantage of their money-saving coupon while helping benefit Ben’s Foundation:

http://www.givingback.org/documents/roethlisberger3.pdf


You can also visit Irons Mill Farmstead’s website here and “like” their Facebook page here!


*Their “buy one, get one free” admission offer has ended, but the $1 off admission price is for the rest of the Fall season (Sept 27-Oct 27th). They are open Fridays 1pm-dusk, and Saturdays & Sundays 11am-dusk starting September 21st through October 27th.


Thank you so much to Rob & Stacy Milliron!



It’s also not too late to enjoy running through the Fall scene!


You can do so by participating in the […]