In February of this year, young Tyler Hallsey was diagnosed with Pontine Glioma – a tumor surrounding the brain stem. Recently, he had the opportunity to attend a Steelers pre-season game with his family, courtesy of former Steeler and current ESPN analyst Merril Hoge. It was a great night for Tyler, who also had the opportunity to meet and pose with Brett Keisel and Troy Polamalu, the man whose jersey he is wearing!

Tyler’s father, Chris, sent this email to share with other fans on his son’s experience:

When Tyler found out about his diagnosis he was scared and confused. We all were. My wife left the room to call her parents and give them the news. While she was out, Tyler and I talked about the road ahead and that it would be hard. We both made promises to each other, then I asked him what he thought we should do. He looked me in the eyes and said, “Whatever it takes”. I think Chuck Noll would be proud.

Since that day in February we have been Team Whatever It Takes.

I think Tyler’s approach to fighting his brain tumor and Ben’s approach on the field are the same. You do whatever it takes. You do what others may not want to do or aren’t willing to do, in order to get the results you want. Sometimes that path is hard or perilous, but you do what has to be done. It’s inspiring to witness, especially when it comes from your son.

It would be impossible for me to properly express the amount of gratitude I have in my heart for Ben, and his willingness to take the time to meet Tyler. He loved every minute of it. Tyler is known for his constant smile, but this smile was even big for him! He was beyond happy.

A little while after we met Ben and had photos taken with him, we were in the tunnel waiting to see Troy Polamalu. As the team came out for final warm ups, Ben saw Tyler again and said, “Hey! It’s my man Tyler!”. He remembered his name and that made the day even more special. Tyler was in heaven. I know it was a brief moment for Ben, but those brief moments will bring a […]

Look who’s checking out the scene from the skybox at PNC Park on a summer night!

“Lets go Bucs!! Went to my first Pirates game the other night and the Pirates won!!” — Benjamin, Jr.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Labor Day weekend! Enjoy it Steeler Nation!


You can see more photos of me here.

Big Ben will join 93.7 The Fan For a weekly radio show this season!

“I am looking forward to spending time every week on The Fan talking about every game and sharing my insights with Steeler Nation.” — Ben, on his new gig.

From KDKA – Channel 2 this afternoon:

Ben Roethlisberger will make regular weekly appearances on KDKA-FM, Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan for the upcoming NFL season.

The Ben Roethlisberger Show will take place Tuesdays at 11 a.m. with The Fan’s Vinnie & Cook Show, starting September 10th.

“We’re thrilled that we have been able to have Ben join us every week in what we hope will be the start of a long partnership,” said Ryan Maguire, Program Director for Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan. “The Fan has can’t miss programming that will super serve Steeler Fans every week. Big Ben will provide our listeners insight on the team they can’t get anywhere else.”

Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan will have additional shows to announce featuring current and former Steeler players.


You can read more here.

Followers of both our Twitter and Facebook pages know this is a regular, weekly feature. But this Warrior Wednesday photo & story we decided to share here as well!

“It was truly an honor to spend some time with the Steelers during their training camp. Everyone was incredibly nice and treated me as if I were the super star athlete. Coach Tomlin asked if I would share my story with the team, I had everyone’s undivided attention, and it was an amazing feeling to have the Pittsburgh Steelers interested in my story. It was a weekend I will never forget. Thank you for everything Ben.” — Noah

Ben’s friend, Noah Galloway participating in the Tough Mudder Competition this week! Yes, that’s Noah climbing the wall to reach his teammates:


Just a few weeks ago, Noah Galloway, was invited to Steelers training camp by Ben. He was on the field during practices, and spoke to the team about working and living through adversity – something he knows all about!

On December 19, 2005, Sgt Noah Galloway, US Army, lost his left arm above the elbow and left leg above the knee in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in Yusafiah, Iraq. He was quickly transported to Germany to receive medical treatment and was unconscious for five days. Noah woke up late in the evening on Christmas Eve to find out he had lost two of his limbs, and had also sustained several injuries to his remaining leg and his jaw. He was then transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C where he began his long road to recovery.

Since his injury, Noah has participated with friends in three Warrior Dash events, three Tough Mudder events, a Spartan race and a Barbarian Challenge.

In the past year, he competed in two CrossFit events. As a member of TEAM X-T.R.E.M.E. Noah has completed a Tough Mudder challenge, the Bataan Memorial Death March as well as a Spartan Race. Noah ran his first full marathon (26.2 miles) in October 2012 during the Marine Corps marathon in Washington, DC.

In March of 2013 Noah returned to New Mexico for the Bataan Memorial Death March where he successfully ran the full 26.2 mile course. Noah has […]

…thanks to Big Ben!


What started out as a “thank you” tweet from CJ yesterday, has turned into a full fan story today that he wanted to share with Steeler Nation:

Back in Ben’s rookie year, my mom, dad, sister, and our close family friend Cat went down to Latrobe for training camp! I was really excited about the Steelers drafting Ben earlier that year and he was the main player that I really wanted to see. Although I was only 7-years old at the time, I studied Ben like Adam Schefter, and all the major sports analysts would. When we drafted Ben I was happy because he was a big, strong-armed quarterback.

I was really excited to think that I might meet him! We got there and actually met a whole bunch of players like Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, and James Harrison, but it was near the end of practice and I still hadn’t seen Ben. Then he came up the steps and I ran up to him as fast as I could and said, “Ben! Ben! I’m a big fan!” as the excitement poured out of me. To my surprise Ben picked me up in front of everyone and said “I’m a big fan of you too, buddy!”. I asked him to sign the cast on my wrist and he did! It was the best moment ever!

I have to admit, that first year when Ben came in the game after Tommy Maddox was hurt and led us to a 15-1 record I felt like a good luck charm every time they scored because I would point with my cast towards the TV! lol.

Then the worst happened, at least for a 7-year old! My wrist healed, my cast came off, and my mother threw it away, even through all the hissy fits and temper tantrums I threw (because mom’s do stuff like that!). My autograph was gone!

This summer, and ten years after my first autograph from Ben, my mom bought our family six tickets to the preseason game vs the Giants. While we were in town for the game, my mom started up a conversation with someone at a restaurant, and after she told him the “story of […]

For Super Bowl XLVIII (or could it be known as the “Storm Bowl”?)!


From CBS Sports today:

In a little more than five months, Super Bowl XLVIII will be held in East Rutherford, New Jersey at MetLife Stadium. For as long as there has been football it has been played in cold weather, but this will be the first time in 47 years that the big game will be played outdoors in a region known for freezing temperatures in February.

How cold? Farmers’ Almanac, which hits newsstands Monday, describes it as “bitterly, piercing and biting.”

Instead of using complicated computer models, the Farmers’ Almanac relies on planetary positions, sunspots and lunar cycles, a method that has remained unchanged since founder David Young published the first almanac in 1818.

Modern scientists don’t put much stock in sunspots or tidal action, but the almanac says its forecasts used by readers to plan weddings and plant gardens are correct about 80 percent of the time.

Last year, the forecast called for cold weather for the eastern and central U.S. with milder temperatures west of the Great Lakes. It started just the opposite but ended up that way.

The almanac predicts a big storm to hit between Feb. 1 and Feb. 3, prompting managing editor Sandi Duncan to note, “It really looks like the Super Bowl may be the Storm Bowl.”


You can read more here.