Ben’s cousins, Taylor, Ty, Tori and Tera showing their support in 2004…






















and again in 2012 (that’s Ty on the left, then Taylor, Tori and Tera)!





















“In 2004 when Ben was drafted, they wore their jerseys for our Christmas photo (quite a big deal for kids their age at the time). A couple of weeks ago when my oldest turned 21 and I wanted some new photos, they decided they wanted to do it again. These are the result. They are so proud of Ben and appreciate the time they get to spend with him when we are in Pittsburgh.” — Traci Spear.



You can see more great photos from the Spear family, as well as other family photos here.

From KDKA – Channel 2 this evening:

Four police dogs showed off their training Friday during their graduation ceremony at the Canine Training Center on Washington Boulevard.

Three of the German shepherds, funded by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s foundation, demonstrated their prowess at chasing down criminals.

The fourth dog named “Rizzo” has a different story. Officer Tony Yauch’s canine partner has the middle name of Paul Sciullo II, one of three Pittsburgh officers slain by a gunman in Stanton Heights three years ago.


You can read more here.

You can learn more about The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation here.

“I’m willing to do whatever the team asks of me, whether that’s play right away or sit. I want to talk to Tommy and Charlie a little bit about what’s going on. Whatever they’re willing to help me with, I’m going to take it all in.” — Ben, April 26, 2004.

From CBS Sports, “Roethlisberger: Manning, Rivers have nothing on me”:

Ben Roethlisberger arrived Monday in Pittsburgh as the No. 3 quarterback in the NFL draft and, for now, no better than No. 3 on the Steelers’ depth chart.

Roethlisberger, only the second quarterback drafted in the first round by Pittsburgh in 33 years, didn’t predict he would beat out incumbent Tommy Maddox or backup Charlie Batch immediately. He didn’t promise to have better rookie-year statistics than Mississippi’s Eli Manning or North Carolina State’s Philip Rivers, the two quarterbacks drafted ahead of him.

“Eli’s been getting a lot of hype leading up to this, but I said coming in it all boils down to this: it’s just football,” Roethlisberger said. “That’s what I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, just get on the field and start playing.”

Roethlisberger didn’t criticize Rivers or Manning, but said, “I think I bring a little more athleticism than both of them, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

“Everyone seems to think they have better systems, better teams they played on in college, were born into a football family,” said Roethlisberger, who played at Miami of Ohio. “Once I get the field, my will to win is much greater than both of them.”

Roethlisberger has already created more buzz in Pittsburgh than any Steelers quarterback draft pick since Terry Bradshaw in 1970. The Steelers haven’t yet started selling Roethlisberger’s No. 7 jersey, but no doubt they will quickly order up a batch to satisfy fan demand.

They might want to order a few in extra-extra large, too; obviously not accustomed to having 6-foot-4½, 240-pound quarterbacks, the Steelers badly underestimated Roethlisberger’s size and gave him a much-too-small uniform for Monday’s photo shoot.


You can read more here.

“If one of those backs would have slid, we were not going to hesitate to grab him. It’s just like the quarterback position. We felt good about that, but Roethlisberger slid and we got him, and […]

April 24, 2004: A long day at the NFL Draft for the future Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback…

“I was in New York. I had my mom and dad with me, my sister was there and my agent. My college coach at the time and his wife were there. Everyone kind of had their speculations of ‘what number’ and what team. The teams we thought were going to take me didn’t, but it ended up working out perfectly for me.” — Ben, from the video, “Recalling Draft Day”.

Ben arrives at Madison Square Garden that Saturday morning with plenty of supporters in his corner – his family, his agents Leigh Steinberg and Ryan Tollner, and his college coach, Terry Hoeppner and his wife Jane.

At 11:20 a.m., Ben and four others – Eli Manning, Roy Williams, Robert Gallery, and Kellen Winslow Jr. – are introduced to the crowd.

Green Room waiting –

• 12:25 p.m.: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that the San Diego Chargers have selected Eli Manning with the No. 1 pick. Eli emerges from stage right and is greeted by unwelcoming chants by the Chargers fans in attendance.

• 12:58 p.m.: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that the New York Giants have selected NC State quarterback Philip Rivers with the No. 4 pick. Soon thereafter the trade with the Chargers is announced – Eli Manning is headed to New York, Philip Rivers to San Diego. Both fan bases seem pleased with the outcome….as Ben waits for his turn.

• 1:57 p.m.: Pittsburgh is on the clock. “We see Ben Roethlisberger on the phone,” ESPN announces for the television audience. Sure enough, it’s Steelers coach Bill Cowher calling to tell Ben the Steelers are going to select him with the No. 11 pick.

• 2:00 p.m.: NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announces that Ben is indeed headed for Pittsburgh. Ben arrives on stage and dons a Steelers ballcap and holds up a Steelers jersey.

• 2:01 p.m.: The Steelers fans in the crowd begin to chant, “Ben, Ben, Ben….”

• 2:02 p.m.: Just off stage, Ben does a press conference for television reporters and then disappears from the public room to do a few interviews with the Pittsburgh media.

• 2:43 p.m.: Ben emerges from the players’ […]

“State police in the Hudson Valley say they’re getting a new bloodhound, thanks to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.” — From the article below.


From the Wall Street Journal today:

This dog don’t hunt, but it will track down criminals and search for missing people.

Troopers in Troop K, a four-county area east of the Hudson River, say the Kody Snodgrass Memorial Foundation is providing the new dog. The foundation breeds, raises and trains bloodhounds for police work with law enforcement agencies.

The latest canine addition to the trooper ranks is made possible by a grant from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.

According to Angie at the Kody Snodgrass Memorial Foundation, Jim Bob (photo above) is a 15-month old, 110lb “gentle giant” who is trained in scent discrimination, and ready to go to work!


You can read more here.

You can check out another photo of Jim Bob (relaxing in the garden) here.



From the Snodgrass Memorial Foundation website:

“The Kody Snodgrass Memorial Foundation, Inc. is dedicated to providing law enforcement with exceptional bloodhounds trained for police work at little or no charge.

The Foundation, known as 832 K-9′s Deputy Dogs breeds, raises and trains registered bloodhounds, providing the expert training necessary for these dogs to become valuable partners in the law enforcement community. We rely on public and private donations for the continued operation of the organization.”


You can read about Officer Snodgrass (above with his partner Jimmy in 2001) who is the inspiration for this mission here.


You can learn more about Ben’s foundation as well as make a donation through The Giving Back Fund here.

Ben and his family spent the evening at Heinz Hall listening to the musical selections of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s “Do You Hear the People Sing” concert:






















Went to the Pittsburgh Pops Symphony on Saturday night! Wow, what an amazing show they put on! This is a picture of my parents, Ashley’s parents, my sister Carlee, Ashley and myself at dinner with Mr. Chris Wu of the Symphony, and his wife. I would highly recommend if you have never been to the Symphony to try and get there because it’s amazing music with so many talented musicians. — Ben



You can learn more about their upcoming concerts here.

You can see all of Ben’s photos in his album here.