Those who follow the website’s Twitter and Facebook pages know this is a regular feature for us. But we decided to make it a special feature today on the site itself.


Sgt. Steven Palencik and members of his unit just sent this photo and wanted to wish Ben and the 2013 Steelers their best season ever! He said they are “bleeding black & gold” while serving our great country in Kuwait! GO STEELERS!


Sgt. Palencik is in the front row, far right, holding the Terrible Towel. That’s Major Delbrugge, far left, front row, holding the Steelers banner. CW3 Poindexter, is on the back row, middle, holding up the Terrible Towel, and SGM Miracle is on the back row, left, holding the Terrible Towel.


Gentleman, thank you for serving our country! Stay safe and God bless!


You can see all of our warriors in Ben’s “Salute to our Military” album here.

Police and Fire Departments still have time to submit theirs for the 2013-14 NFL season to The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation!


This marks the seventh 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.

The Foundation will be distributing grants in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers during the 2013-14 season.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invites police and fire departments in these eight cities to submit proposals detailing their needs. Also, for each Steelers’ playoff game, a grant will be awarded to a 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 XLVIII.

As part of the NFL International Series, the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to meet the Minnesota Vikings on the turf of Wembley Stadium in London on September 29, 2013. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation will mark the inaugural occasion of the Steelers playing a regular-season game overseas with its first international grant to support law enforcement in the London area.

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.

Eligible departments must apply to The Giving Back Fund by August 15, 2013.

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_2013_BRF_app.pdf.


Photo: That’s Shadow, he was purchased with a grant from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. Shadow joined the Findlay Ohio Police Department last year as its drug-detecting canine. Shadow and his handler, Officer Chad McMonigal, inspect vehicles for illegal drugs, and meet citizens in an effort to prevent crime.


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




Hey fans! Looking for a fun and active way to support the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation?

You can – by participating in the one running event that will allow you to experience the best of a Pittsburgh in less than […]

Big Ben completed 4 of 8 passes for 36 yards in this one, leading the Steelers to a field goal on his second possession.


Final Score: Giants 18, Steelers 13

“I thought the line did a good job opening the holes and the zone blocking that everyone has stressed. We wanted to establish an identity early of running the ball, and I think we did a good job.” — Ben, post-game.

News, Notes & Quotes from the first one:

“Steelers take good with bad in preseason loss to Giants”

The Steelers didn’t like all there was to see of their 18-13 preseason loss to the New York Giants at Heinz Field on Saturday night…

“There were some positives and some negatives,” coach Mike Tomlin said.

The good: Stephens-Howling, expected to be a situational back, ran seven times for 40 yards and led a 13-play drive late in the first quarter that ended with a Shaun Suisham 34-yard field goal. The starters wound up playing 18 plays, or one-third more than the 12 that Tomlin projected.

“He has great vision, and he got outside and made some plays,” center Maurkice Pouncey said of Stephens-Howling, a former Pitt player from Johnstown.

Even as the 5-foot-7 Stephens-Howling bounced those runs outside, the Steelers used their new zone-blocking system only twice during the starters’ nine running plays.

“We wanted to establish an identity early of running the ball, and I think I did a good job with that,” Ben Roethlisberger said.


You can read more from Mr. Robinson here.



From Coach Tomlin’s post-game press conference:

What was your take on QB Ben Roethlisberger? It seems like it was a little bit rough, not necessarily on his part, but the delay of game, the sack – what was your take on it?

Coach T: He didn’t take a delay of game. He used a timeout. I didn’t have any problem with Ben’s performance. He did a nice job communicating and executing the offense. Some things happened from a communication standpoint that kind of happen quite often this time of year. We’ll move past it. No worries there.


You can watch video of his interview here.

You can see a few photos from the game here.

“My favorite memory from camp this year was watching Ben sit down in the end zone after practice and play with his son. I will never forget how special that moment was, to not only Ben, but for his fans as well.” — Carol Evans

Both big fans and Lil’ Fans have sent in their Thank You’s to Ben for spending time after practice to autograph their collectibles at Steelers training camp this summer.

Below are just a few of the messages that we have received:


“My son, Jonny Evanchick is six years old. He was thrilled to get to see Ben up close and even more excited to get #7’s autograph on his new Steelers football. After he signed it he ran back to tell me the good news and insisted that we go back and buy another football because we can’t play with the signed one anymore.

He also forgot to ask Ben if he wanted his necklace. He was wearing one of those sports rope necklaces and thought it would help Ben on the field and wanted to offer it to him. I explained that maybe you’ll see him again some time and that I’m sure he’s already appreciative that you’re a supporter of him and the team.

Needless to say, my son is a big fan of Ben and made me play catch with him in the dark so he can emulate his favorite player. With the second football of course. Thank you once again.” — Jonathan Evanchick



Got to meet Big Ben at Steelers camp! Thanks for signing my wife’s football who happens to be a SFU grad just like Ashley! — Brian Lucas ‏via Twitter @TheBrianLucas

“Ben! You are THE MAN! Thanks for signing my jersey today! It was worth the wait!! Good luck this season!” — Dillon Spence

“Please tell Ben how much we appreciated the time he took to talk to our little one, who suddenly turned shy after hours of excitement at the idea of meeting Big Ben! LOL.” — Candice Johnson



“Thanks Ben for making my son’s training camp visit so memorable! Ben threw his wristband to him today and he has not taken […]

…according to Benjamin, Jr.


Whew….training camp is T.O.U.G.H! Especially when you’re a rookie like me!



Coach’s Two-A-Days are wearin’ me out! But I must eat dinner to keep up my strength so I can make the team…..yes…I…must…eat…to…keep…zzzzzzzzzzz!

From the Weirton Daily Times today:

If Lou Holtz Hall of Fame supporters thought this year’s banquet tickets sold out early, just wait until next year.

The Hall of Fame announced Monday that guest speaker for their 2014 fund-raising event is Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The dinner will take place on Monday, June 16, 2014 at St. Florian Hall in Wintersville, Ohio.

“In an effort to handle what we expect will be a huge interest here in the heart of the Steeler Nation, we’ve taken a couple of unprecedented steps,” Hall of Fame director Robin Webster said in a press release. “We have begun taking ‘pre-orders’ for tickets, which will go on sale Jan. 16, 2014. So you can guarantee the availability of your ticket by calling to get on that list, giving us your name and a number where you can be reached.”

Additionally, Webster said, the Hall of Fame has made special arrangements with the venue to be able to seat 650 for the 2014 banquet, which will be served buffet style.

Plans are also under way to “live feed” the activity at the speaker’s podium onto eight wall-mounted flat-screen televisions, so those seated all around the room will have a close-up view of the guest speaker, as well as inductees.

The 2013 event saw the highest ticket sales in the hall’s 15-year history, with more than 530. Unfortunately, dozens interested in seeing the induction and hearing guest speaker Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer were turned away in the weeks just prior to the event, because it had sold out well in advance.

“We’re making the announcement for next year’s event months earlier than usual in the hopes that we can accommodate ticket sales for all of our loyal supporters as well as those drawn to this rare opportunity to see and hear Roethlisberger at an off-the-field appearance,” Webster said.

Tickets are $110, which covers admission, the meal, commemorative gifts and a chance at prize drawings held during the event. Of that cost, $50 is tax deductible.


To pre-order tickets, find out how your business can sponsor the event, or for general information, call 330-386-5443 and ask for Robin Webster or Rosemary Mackall, Director of Development.

You can read more about the Lou Holtz Hall of Fame here.