Just want to thank all of you for the awesome birthday messages! Best fans in the world! — Ben

Today is Ben’s 31st birthday and one lucky fan will receive a gift from him!


To celebrate…

The 302nd emailer (3/02 – today’s date) will receive an autographed, game-used black and gold Nike cleat that was worn during the early part of the 2012 season!

It’s that easy!

No quiz to take, no caption to think up, no questions to answer…all you have to do is be the right emailer!

However, before you email, please follow these two rules:

1. Emails for the contest WILL NOT be accepted until 12 NOON ET and after (this gives fans in different time zones a chance to participate).

2. Please, just one email per email address only (subsequent emails from the same address will be discounted).


Send emails to: bigben7website@gmail.com


*UPDATE: We have a winner!!

Congratulations to big Steelers fan Scott Peterson, of Georgetown, Delaware! He was our 302nd emailer!

*Thank you to everyone who entered today’s contest, and to those who took the time to send so many birthday messages!

Ben received emails with birthday wishes from around the country, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Scotland, England, Denmark, Switzerland, Hungary, Germany, Italy and down under in Australia!!

“I want it to be known there is no locker room issue, there is no leadership issue. Even if guys say it out of frustration, they’re trying to find something to say. I think it’s important to know we all have each other’s back.”

From an interview with Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Ben Roethlisberger said he has heard enough, and it’s time to put an end to it. The perception created by a few of his teammates that the Steelers locker room was in disarray last season just is not true, the quarterback insisted, and someone needed to say it.

So why not the veteran quarterback, the captain of the offense?

“For anybody to say there are locker room issues or leadership issues are completely off base,” Roethlisberger said Thursday, shortly after he signed a restructured contract to create $6 million of salary cap room for the Steelers in 2013.

“I believe that’s the frustration. I believe that it’s frustration of last year, I honestly do.”

Enough is enough, Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“Obviously, last year was frustrating for all of us, and when you’re frustrated and the season doesn’t go the way you want it to and things don’t go the way you want them to, things are said. I know all too well, after the Dallas game I was frustrated and said some things.

“The important thing to know is, there are no issues in our locker room. There are no issues with LaMarr. There are no issues on our team.

“The big thing for us is to move forward. Last year was last year, it was 8-8. We’re not happy about it. There are frustrations, but you know what? We’re done with it. We’re moving forward and we’re moving into this year … with whoever’s here, we’re looking to move forward. And we know Woodley’s going to be here and we know Woodley’s going to be ready to go as we all are going to be.”


You can read more here.

Connor Williams, age 11 years.


On December 30, 2012, my son passed away in his sleep after a day of skiing at Hidden Valley Ski Resort. It was highly ironic that he died there as we had gone there as a refuge during his mother’s two-year battle with breast cancer. My wife, daughter, son, and I went there twice in the winter when chemo went badly, and twice in the summer when chemo went badly again.

In the winter, we would watch our beloved Steelers and usually wear Steelers jerseys while skiing. In the summer, we would head to training camp.

My wife lost her battle on June 15, 2008. My son Connor watched SB XLIII with me after my wife died, and cheered wildly after the miraculous pass to Santonio Holmes. It was a sign that we could live and have fun again.

We continued these family traditions. The Steelers helped us heal, and after two years of low grade depression, my son had reached a place in the last couple of years where he enjoyed life again.

Ben was his favorite player.

Our last week was terrific, and the last two days of his life my son wore his Steelers jerseys proudly. He wore his Big Ben “bumblebee” jersey on December 28th and wore his Lamarr Woodley jersey that we bought at camp this year when we skied and last ate together on December 29. I will treasure those pictures and memories forever. I intend to frame the bumblebee jersey. He obviously had a number of jerseys but he loved that Ben “bumblebee” one the most. His classmates made cards for him – about half depicted him in that jersey. He was a special little boy. There are not many 11-year olds that warrant 3/4 of a page- even in a local paper. I miss him greatly.

My son was a straight A student, and was destined for great things. My daughter and I are once again left with a great void in our lives. We hope to continue our traditions and hope our favorite team can once again help us heal.

I am an Assistant Prosecutor in New Philadelphia, Ohio. I grew up in Pittsburgh and have loved the Steelers since my […]

…at the Consol Energy Center for the Chris Tomlin “Burning Lights Tour” Concert!

Ben and Ashley are just two of the many fans enjoying the Saturday evening show!



Chris, you’re the man! — Ben, with a photo taken from their vantage point at the Energy Center.




Giant beach balls released into the crowd for the finale. — Ben


Fan Brianna Thomas and her family attended the concert as well. She and her father also met Ben, and sent us their photo posing with #7.

“HUGE” fan Emily Bendik and her brother also posed with Ben at the concert! You can see their photo here!


Hope everyone in Steeler Nation is enjoying their weekend too!

“I would just like to keep everyone informed about Pito. Pito is the K9 dog that was given to us by The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. Since Pito has been on the street, he has made nine ‘small’ hits on drugs and one very large one on Tuesday night. Pito has only been on the streets for about two months since training. As the Chief of Police, I can’t thank The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation enough for all they have done for us. Please thank Mr. Roethlisberger for us, and for helping those who help others.” – Chief Ronnie Williams, Millersville Police Department, in an email to the website today.

That one “very large” hit that Chief Williams referenced in his email was the subject of a story from the WKRN-Channel 2 News in Nashville this evening:

The K9 donated by football star Ben Roethlisberger’s foundation last year is now trained and on the streets, helping the Millersville Police Department sniff out crime.

Pito, the 2-year-old German Shepherd, helped officer George Hurst with what seemed like a normal traffic stop on Interstate 65 Tuesday night.

Hurst pulled over a rental car that had no rear lights and discovered the driver had no license.

Pito sniffed around the car and alerted on something at the driver’s door.

The driver then admitted to having marijuana in possession.

When Hurst led Pito around the rest of the car, he alerted once again at the trunk.

Officer Hurst then discovered $30,500 in cash hidden under a tire.

“It’s been a great experience working with him.” — Officer Hurst, about his new partner.

Police believe the cash was a part of a drug deal that was either about to go down or had just been completed, but the driver and passenger of the rental vehicle said they did not know where it came from.

Since it was not claimed, the cash was confiscated and will now go into the Millersville drug fund to help buy new equipment.

Authorities also said that the male in the passenger seat has a lengthy drug record and was recently released from the penitentiary.


You can read more here.

You can read more about Ben’s Foundation here.


*Thank you so much to Chief Williams for the email and the photo of Millersville’s Top Dog!