Would you like to win free tickets to the Kenny Chesney concert at Heinz Field next weekend, June 22nd?




Just follow @heinzfield for details on how you can enter!! That’s right, Heinz Field has it’s own Twitter account! You’ll get updates for all the happenings at the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh Football Team!


*Thank you to the Steelers for the use of the photo!

“People said why not earlier. Well, we wanted to try to see if we could manage. I’d come in on Tuesday to practice and it would feel good, and by Thursday, it was almost like a tire was slowly losing air. It kind of hurt me on Thursday. We figured it was time to get it done. Doctors agreed and said let’s do it now.” — Ben

Ben was at Steelers mini-camp this morning and answered a few questions from the media about the surgery on his knee:


How does the knee feel?

It feels great. I saw Dr. (Jim) Bradley this morning, and he was pleasantly surprised with the range of motion and where we are at, and the swelling. So, it feels great. I’ve been off crutches for a couple of days now. I’m moving around good. I think I could play Sunday if I had to.


Is the discomfort gone?

It’s still too early to tell. According to Dr. Bradley the surgery went really well. My knee is in great shape. They took care of the little problem. It had been bothering me a little last year, and we decided now is the time to take care of it.


More cleanup than repair?

Absolutely. There was no repair. It was just clean up.


Re: Same cleanup on the other knee:

The same knee. There were some reports but it was the same knee. So it was a very similar thing.


What will you do this week?

Watch. I’ll ride the bike a lot. That’s pretty much it. I will be here to support the quarterbacks, offense and coaches. I’ll do whatever I can do just to add moral support.


Are you broken up that you will miss minicamp?

It’s killing me, actually. It tears me up [Laughs].


Did you get enough work in during the last couple of weeks?

Yeah, I was here for every practice. I felt good. Honestly, I don’t ever like to miss practice but I’ll be ready for training camp.


You can read more from Ms. Varley at Steelers.com here.

You can also watch the video of Ben’s interview here.

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.

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

You can enjoy viewing photos in the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation album here.

Ben will be presented with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America “National Champion of Youth Award” during their 36th annual Golf Classic at Sewickley Heights Golf Club on Monday, June 10th.


From Larissa Dudkiewicz, editor at Sewickley Patch:

Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is often recognized for the work he does on the field.

But the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania has plans to recognize Roethlisberger next week for the work he does off the field.

The organization and its 7,000 members are pleased to present Roethlisberger with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America “National Champion of Youth Award” for his commitment to youth and all the work he has done for them.

For the past four years, the organization said hundreds of inner-city children had a dream come true when they found themselves on a football field with “Big Ben.”

Roethlisberger financed the cost of mini-camp experiences and took time to make each child feel special.

”For many of the children in attendance from the Boys & Girls Club, this became their only summer vacation, and Ben provided them with memories that will last a lifetime” said Mike Hepler, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania.

Hepler said the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western PA wants to focus on the impact Roethlisberger has had on young people in the community.

From the onset of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he said Roethlisberger and his teammates have provided generous support for the Boys & Girls Club Dapper Dan Flag Football Program and NFL Play 60 Program that reaches more than 1,000 young people annually. The goals of these programs are to promote fitness, healthy lifestyles and good sportsmanship.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania is not alone when it comes to recognizing Roethlisberger.

Make-A-Wish, Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, Alliance Against Highly Addictive Drugs, American Library Association and numerous other human service charities also have been touched by his work.

Through his love of animals and respect for the challenges the law enforcement community faces, Roethlisberger also works to provide resources through his foundation to purchase K-9 units for police and fire departments throughout the country.


You can read more here.

The Second Annual Ben Roethlisberger Foundation Fundraiser rocked the house on Sunday evening at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille, which benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia as well as K-9 Police and Fire Units across the country.


With family:

Carlee sent this photo posing with her big brother Ben, sister-in-law Ashley, and parents Brenda & Ken in front of Jergels prior to the start of the evenings festivities (Benjamin Jr. waited to make his appearance at the Dad’s golf tournament the next day!).



The fundraising event included both a live and silent auction, a “strolling dinner”, and music performed by The American Flyers Show Band that had everyone on the dance floor!


With friends:

“Ben was a gracious host and we were honored to be a part of Ben’s charity. His foundation event was first class and all those that were a part of it. Thank you Ben from the bottom of our hearts. This was our second event with Ben and we consider him and his family good friends of ours.” — Danny Garrett, manager and drummer for The American Flyers


You can see more photos from Ben’s fundraiser here.

You can also see a couple of photos from Ben’s charity golf tournament, held the next day, here (we’ll have a lot more photos from the tournament in the coming weeks!).

So which team won the Hoge Starks Ward Celebrity Golf Classic on May 20th? You can see the winners here.

“We took our granddaughter, age 12, and our grandson, age 7, to Ben’s Youth Camp. What organized chaos! It was an awesome experience for both. Both caught Ben’s passes. They talked about the camp all the way back to Northern Ohio. They have already decided to come back next year, at our expense! We also really enjoyed the experience!” – Linda Hawk, Ohio, from Ben’s 2012 camp.

There’s still time to sign your child up to join Ben this summer for some football instruction and fun at his Annual Football Camp, sponsored by ProCamps Worldwide…and we’ve got a special offer for those who register this month!

Sign up with the code #SteelerNation and you will get $10 off the registration fee!

All campers who register with that code will be entered to win this awesome Steelers football signed by both Big Ben & Coach Tomlin!


Fifth Third Bank and #1 Cochran present the 2013 Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp!

The Camp is open to boys and girls, ages 7-14.

Ben will be joined by a selection of the top prep and college coaches from the area.

Each day, the campers will experience various stations, specializing in fundamental skills of football. Individual groups will be small to assure that each camper gets maximum instruction.

Ben will give daily talks highlighting the finer points of the game of football and beyond. Parents and guests will be able to listen to camp guests in designated areas at each location.

And you never know which of Ben’s teammates will show up to help out #7! Kids that attend Ben’s Camp have had the opportunity to meet and get instruction from Brett Keisel, Charlie Batch, Willie Colon, and even Coach Tomlin!


Dates: June 17th and 18th, 2013

Times: 09:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Place: Seneca Valley High School, Harmony, PA

Cost: $199.*

*If you use the code SteelerNation when you register, you’ll receive a $10 discount off the registration fee, courtesy of ProCamps!

“My son Christian had the time of his life at your camp. You threw him a pass and I managed to get the shot on my camera. What a memory. Awesome two days. Thanks so much, Ben!!!” — Kris Bober

Each camper […]