“I’m hoping that I’m just starting in my prime. I’ve already been working out with [Garrett Giemont], our strength coach, already. I’ve never worked out this early. It’s not like high-intensity, out killing myself, but I’m working out, I want to come to camp lighter than I’ve ever come, in better shape, because as you get to a certain point, a certain age in this football thing, your body doesn’t recover like it used to.” –Ben.

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

Ben Roethlisberger already has adjusted his game, and it has nothing to do with old or new coordinators, old or new offenses, things Art Rooney did or did not say.

It has plenty to do with his 30th birthday March 2.

“That’s why I’m working out already,” Roethlisberger said.

He began training at the Steelers facility on the South Side last week, days after he returned from an extended Pro Bowl stay in Hawaii. He talked to coach Mike Tomlin about where he is in his career and about the future.

“When I talked to Mike, I said I don’t know how much longer I have to play, no one does; it could be two years, three years, it could be eight years. Who knows?” Roethlisberger said during an extensive interview Thursday.


You can read more here.



Also Today:

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review this morning:

Two of the Steelers’ highest-paid players are apparently willing to help the team with the salary cap.

The agents for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and outside linebacker James Harrison said their clients are agreeable to restructuring their contracts before the start of the NFL’s new year. Teams have to be under the 2012 salary cap by 4 p.m. March 13.


You can read more here.



And:

Ben was a guest on WDVE’s Morning Show with Mike Prisuta.

He talked about his meeting with Mr. Rooney, his new offensive coach Todd Haley, and the state of the Steelers offense.


You can listen to the podcast of the highlights of his interview here.

You can keep up with Mr. Prisuta on Twitter (and read some of Ben’s quotes) here.

A sweetheart of a contest on February 14th!

And an easy one…

All you have to do is be the 214th emailer and you will win an autographed pink and black Steelers baseball cap from Ben!

This is the same style baseball cap that was worn by the Steelers players during October’s NFL Breast Cancer Awareness month (see photo)…except this one has been signed by #7!

Win it for yourself or that special someone in your life!


Send emails to: bigben7website@gmail.com

Don’t worry, you haven’t missed your opportunity to email – contest didn’t start until 5:00 P.M. (ET).

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


UPDATE: We have a winner! Congratulations to Anita Rodriguez of Houston, Texas! She was our 214th emailer!


Thank you to everyone who entered! We’ll have more contests in the coming months!


Happy Valentines Day!


Also Today: Happy Birthday to HOF’er Jim Kelly! He is celebrating his 52nd!

“People made such a big deal because they thought I was going to go in an uproar – ‘What do you mean?’ – it’s going in and asking questions.” — Ben

Ben sat down for an interview at the Steelers training facility yesterday with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette‘s Ed Bouchette:

Roethlisberger has remained in town and working out at the Steelers facility. He had hoped to see Steelers president Art Rooney II there Thursday but Rooney was not in. Roethlisberger wants to talk to him about his opinions about the offense and the quarterback, including Rooney’s statement that Roethlisberger needs to tweak his game. The quarterback said people misinterpreted his comments from the Pro Bowl that he wanted to talk to Rooney about such things.

“People made such a big deal because they thought I was going to go in an uproar — ‘What do you mean!’ — it’s going in and asking questions.

Roethlisberger said such questions might include: “What do you mean by tweak my game, tweak the offense? As one of the oldest guys on offense, what do you see for our offense, where do you see us going, what do you want us to do?”

“Things like that,” Roethlisberger explained, “because when guys on the team come and ask me questions, I want to be able to have answers for them instead of ‘I don’t know.’

“If I can go in and talk as one of the older guys and one of the captains and leaders on this team, I feel that’s my duty every year.”


More from Ben…

Roethlisberger also said people have it wrong about his relationship with Arians. Yes, he said, they were and remain friends, but they had their disagreements and arguments, just out of the public eye.

“People made such a big deal about, ‘I had it too easy because we were friends,’ or whatever. I think anybody in sports should understand, you and your position coach should have a good relationship. Now, if you’re buddy-buddy with the head coach, that might be a little issue. You should, as a quarterback, with the guy you work with every day, you should have a relationship with him even outside of football because if we […]

Marine Corp (USMC) Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Trower and his brother, John attended Pro Bowl practices, the “Players Welcome Party”, and the Pro Bowl itself in Hawaii two weeks ago. They also had the opportunity to talk with Ben and have their photo taken with him.

From GySgt. Trower’s email:

“We met Ben at the ‘Players Welcome Party’ for the 2012 Pro Bowl at their hotel.

I went up and introduced myself, told him I was in the Marine Corps, I gave him a coin and he was very cool. He is a great person and took the time out to talk to us. Very professional guy!!”


You can read more from his email and see a larger version of their photo here.

More fan stories and photos can be found here.

FEBRUARY 11TH UPDATE: More players announced for the Chantilly Show!

Ben is scheduled to appear at the Collector’s Showcase of America‘s Chantilly Sports Show held at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA on April 1, 2012.

The three-day show (March 30-April 1) will feature autograph sessions with Ben and teammates Antonio Brown, Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Ryan Clark, Cameron Heyward, and Lawrence Timmons (all on Sunday); Jerome Bettis (Sunday), Rocky Bleier (Sunday); NFL HOF’ers Joe Greene (Sunday), Deion Sanders and Joe Schmidt (both on Saturday); seven-time Pro Bowler Jason Witten (Saturday); Miles Austin (Saturday); Matthew Stafford (Sunday); Sam Bradford (Sunday); NBA Top 50 players Bob Cousy (Saturday) & Dolph Schayes (Saturday); and MLB Rookies of the Year Wally Moon (Sunday) & Albie Pearson (Sunday).

More athletes will be added to the weekend in the coming months.


Before and after getting your item(s) signed, you can wander through the Show’s many sports dealers booths.


Please check out their website to read about pricing for autograph tickets and to purchase yours online!


The Dulles Expo Center is located in Fairfax County, VA. For a map and directions, click here. For a list of hotels in the area, click here.

Ben’s appearance is courtesy of the Sports Emporium, Gamebreaker Sports, and The Jersey Source.




And just in case you missed the post in November….


Ben will be the guest speaker at the Blair County Sports Hall of Fame banquet on April 28, 2012.

The event will take place at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, PA.

“With it being our 25th anniversary, we thought it would be appropriate to get a blockbuster name,” Blair Hall president Dave Andrews said. “And we have that with Ben Roethlisberger.”

Mr. Andrews continued, “Ben’s agent went to Hines, and he spoke highly of our event,” Andrews said. “It was something that interested Ben’s agent, and Ben accepted right away. He wanted to speak for an organization that honors student athletes and local sports heroes. We invited him to bring his wife as well.”

Set for induction […]

Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall caught a Pro Bowl-record four touchdown passes, as the AFC downed the NFC, 59-41, Sunday at Aloha Stadium.

Marshall had six catches for 177 yards — the second-most in Pro Bowl history, earning MVP honors for the effort.

Ben completed 6-of-11 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns, including a 74-yarder to Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Philip Rivers also had a pair of touchdown passes.

Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees both threw two touchdowns for the NFC.

Panthers rookie Cam Newton, pitted against Dalton for the entire second half, threw two touchdowns but had three interceptions in his Pro Bowl debut. Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald nearly matched Brandon Marshall, reeling in six passes for 111 yards and three scores in defeat.


Quote of the Day:

“You know what? I wanted it. It’s a Pro Bowl. Some guys are playing 100 (percent), some guys are playing 90, some guys aren’t playing at all, but it means a lot to be up in the rafters with some of these guys.

“It says a lot when you’re playing with those guys (Roethlisberger, Rivers & Dalton) playing quarterback. They put it up and I made the play. So hats off to those guys.” — Brandon Marshall, Pro Bowl MVP, during post-game comments.



Missed the game? Read the Honolulu Star Advertiser play-by-play game description.

Video of Ben’s TD pass to AJ Green here, and his TD pass to Brandon Marshall here.

Photos from the game here and here.