Today, Ben announced the third grant of the 2012-13 season from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund.

The Foundation will be distributing a grant to the Millersville Police Department just outside of Nashville, TN where the Steelers will play the Titans this evening on NFL Network‘s Thursday Night Football.

The Millersville Police Department will utilize the grant funds to start its K-9 Unit by purchasing its first narcotics dog. Nashville K-9, LLC has committed to training the dog and a handler free of charge. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is also donating equipment to properly outfit Millersville PD’s first K-9 vehicle.

This marks the sixth season that The Ben Roethlisberger 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 and to support other charitable organizations, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Millersville Chief of Police Ronnie Williams said, “We are thankful for what The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation does to help smaller departments like ours.”


You can read more about Ben’s foundation here.

You can read more about The Giving Back Fund here.

“It’s an awesome honor! Shoot, a storied franchise and he’s The Guy, the face of this. I know there’s a lot of ’70s Steelers, but, when you’re talking about quarterbacks and offense and stuff, he’s the guy. To have an opportunity to break another record – and this one is a pretty big one.” — Ben, after practice yesterday, talking about the record.

From ESPN‘s Jamison Hensley this afternoon:

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger moved closer to Terry Bradshaw’s franchise passing record without having to take a snap.

Elias Sports Bureau overturned the home team’s statisticians on Wednesday, making Rashard Mendenhall’s 13-yard touchdown a catch instead of a run. The ruling on Sunday was a run because it looked like it was a lateral.

Instead of trailing Terry Bradshaw by 300 yards, Roethlisberger only needs 287 yards Thursday night in Tennessee to become the Steelers’ all-time leading passer. Quarterbacks have averaged 284.4 yards passing against the Titans this year.

That change means Roethlisberger’s passer rating goes from 83.2 to 102.9. Mendenhall’s rushing total drops from 81 yards to 68 yards.


More from Mr. Hensley’s AFC North blog here.



Also Today:

A special Shout Out to a special little boy!

This story comes to us from Cristalena Potvin – My friend’s little boy, Richard Culliver, a student at White Knoll Elementary in West Columbia, South Carolina was walking “funny” last Wednesday, so she decided to take him to the doctor. Richard was immediately admitted into the hospital for an MRI. Two hours later, the MRI discovered a tennis ball-size tumor in the middle of his brain that is inoperable. It is called, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. He was sent home today so that he can make the most of his life.

Richard’s absolute dream is to go to a Steelers game and Augusta SteelMasters, a Steelers fan club in Augusta, Georgia are making that dream come true! They purchased tickets for both Richard and his dad Brian to attend the game this Thursday in Tennessee.

Richard is beside himself and can’t believe he is getting the opportunity to go! His dad and stepmom already took him out to get him outfitted […]

Ben did a conference call with Titans beat writers this morning…


Some highlights:

On the play of the Steelers offense so far –

“I think our offense is playing pretty well. I don’t know if it’s just me. We’re controlling the ball, we’re converting third downs, haven’t been sacked a bunch and just trying to get the ball to the playmakers. We have a whole bunch of them. To me that’s our best offense, get it out of my hands and get it to them and let them do.”


On the Titans defense –

“We came in this morning and we’ve been looking at film like crazy and trying to figure out this defense. I don’t think their defense is an indication of their record. I think they are a lot better than that. We have to prepare accordingly because I think they are a good defense.”


On what makes them a good defense –

“I think they get after the quarterback. They’re high motor guys. They never quit. You know, you may be blocked for the first couple of seconds, but all of a sudden if a quarterback or even a running back on a run play or something extends the play, they seem to be right there to make the play quick.”


On the comments by a Steelers offensive lineman about Ben being angry with the Eagles for their “dirty” play on Sunday –

“You know what, I just heard that. I never said that – I was never quoted as saying [the Eagles played] ‘dirty’. I think they’re a very physical team, they like to get after you. I think it might have been misunderstood when I said that, ‘they get after it’, get after me. We tell all these guys to get after the player, that’s just being physical and trying to make plays. If I call someone dirty, you’ll know it. I saw a couple of plays where some of their guys jumped on Pouncey’s back and tried to spike him in the back, but I don’t think anyone intentionally tried to […]

“I pride myself, if we get the ball, whether we are up, down or maybe it’s tied, we want to go down and win the game. I want the ball in my hands. I always have the confidence in myself and the guys that we can do it. But sometimes younger guys, unless you’ve been here to do it, you are not really sure if it gets done as much as we talk about it.” — Ben, when asked about engineering his 25th career fourth-quarter comeback.

Post-Game from The Huffington Post:

Backed up deep in their own territory, their slow start to the season in danger of turning into a legitimate freefall, the Pittsburgh Steelers did what they always seem to do when things get tight.

They relaxed.

Ben Roethlisberger converted a pair of critical third downs during a remarkably patient 64-yard drive over the final 6:33 and Shaun Suisham drilled a 34-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Steelers to a 16-14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the rain on Sunday.

Roethlisberger completed 21 of 37 passes for 207 yards, and Mendenhall finished with 81 rushing yards and a score while adding 20 receiving yards as Pittsburgh’s beleaguered running game showed signs of life.

“Our savior is back,” Roethlisberger joked. “We’ve been teasing him all week. It was great to see him out there and he did a great job.”

Heath Miller had four receptions for 43 yards to become the eighth player in franchise history to top 4,000 career receiving yards.


You can read more here.

“Ben Roethlisberger is amazing…It’s really amazing what he can do and do under duress!” — Michael Strahan, NFL FOX Sunday.

And:

From Clark Judge, CBS Sports:

If you’re the Pittsburgh Steelers, this is what you like about your latest victory: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is still Ben Roethlisberger, rescuing the club with another fourth-quarter comeback, just as he has so many times before.

No wonder Tomlin said he was “thankful” for the come-from-behind 16-14 defeat of the Philadelphia Eagles, a club with a habit this season of overcoming opponents in the fourth quarter. But not this time and not against this team because … […]

A Make-A-Wish moment on Friday for a big fan –


From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

Alex Wagner couldn’t stop smiling, and his parents even laughed at the fact that he was actually giddy, something out of character for the normally serious 14-year old. But Wagner had good reason for being that way. What kid wouldn’t be smiling if they were a guest at Steelers’ practice and getting ready to meet the team?

Wagner, who has hypothalmic disorder, was at practice courtesy of the team and Make-A-Wish Foundation and will attend Sunday’s game against the Eagles at Heinz Field.

When practice ended, things got even better as the players all made their way over to Wagner, talking to him, posing for pictures and signing autographs. Ben Roethlisberger took him into the locker room, and then off to his production meeting with Fox Sports where he met Troy Aikman, who is in town for the game.


You can read more (and see some great photos) here.

Say “Trick or Treat” BIG BEN 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 Lil’ Fans album, just like we did last year.

That’s Garrett Cagle and Zac Godfrey at left getting ready to head out for Halloween, 2011!

Now what if your Trick or Treater is going as Brett Keisel or James Harrison, Troy Polamalu or maybe Heath Miller?

That’s fine too!

Snap a photo of ’em, send it via email and we’ll post it in Ben’s Lil’ Teammates album!





The Trick or Treaters were out in force at the Roethlisberger house last year!


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

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

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



*If you would like to share a photo of your Lil’ Ben fan or Lil’ Teammate this Halloween, send it in an email to: bigben7website@gmail.com