April 24, 2004 – With the 11th pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select…

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

Green Room waiting –

• 12:25PM: 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.

• 12:58PM: 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.

• 1:57PM: 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.

• 2:00PM: 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.

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

• 2:02PM: 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.

• 2:43PM: Ben emerges from the players’ party room where a press conference with print media is set up. An ESPN media […]

at the Arise with the Guys event in Minnesota today:




And congratulations to Ben, ‘2022 Uncommon Man of the Year’ Award:

Love seeing Ben Roethlisberger win the Uncommon Award. Future Hall of Famer. Great story about his spiritual growth. pic.twitter.com/03GyrGa45S

— Jon Gordon (@JonGordon11) April 23, 2022

#FamilyTime

“Our Baylee’s birthday tradition picture.” — Ben & Ashley.

Snorkelbergers.


Oh, and the Sunset Disco Cruise was grooovy, man!!! 🕺

From Jeff Hathhorn, Sports Director at 93.7 The Fan:

Seven steps off the bus from the airport, I sat one of our bags down in the hotel lobby. Quickly a 35-to-40-year-old employee comes over to grab our luggage. We had arrived in Mexico just minutes earlier.

As he was putting a tag on our suitcases, Ernesto asked. “Where are you from?”

“Pittsburgh,” I replied.

A smile grew on his face like running into an old friend. He said ‘ah yes’ and started pumping his fist.

“I love the Steelers,” Ernesto said. “What are we going to do about no Roethlisberger?”

Thousands of miles from Pittsburgh in a country where you would think football means soccer, here is Ernesto. A quick reminder of how international the Steelers brand is.

It appeared as though a lot of the English Ernesto knew revolved around the NFL and specifically the Steelers. He would go on to tell me how he watches every game, either requesting off or for a later shift on Sundays, unless of course, there is a night game.

He said he knew many people in Mexico that adored the black-and-gold. The impression he had of our entire region, if not our country, formed by his viewing 53 football players.

Three days later, at a family-style dinner, we start talking to the couple next to us. The man, 55-years-old or so, works for the University of Zurich. Yeah, the one in Switzerland. After discussing his job and beautiful country he asked where we were from.

“Pittsburgh,” I said as Leslie added, “it’s in the United States” just in case. There was no descriptor needed. Much like Ernesto, a smile grew on his face.

“I’m from Switzerland,” he repeated. “Ben Roethlisberger is Swiss. We (pointing to his wife) love the Steelers. Did you know Roethlisberger visited our country after one of his championships?”

I did remember his trip there as he went on to explain how he watches all the Steelers game. The one o’clock starts are seven pm starts in Zurich, 10:15p for the later afternoon games. He even watches the night games, but laughed he may go into work a little late. The university employee also noted he’s not the only Steelers fan in Switzerland. […]

“The coolest thing about that whole night, even more than the win, was having my family there. I had so many friends and family that came to that game. I looked to the tunnel and all three of my kids ran out and tackled me. And Ashley was there. And my parents, my sister, my agent – the people that mean the most to me. And then we walked out. So that meant the most to me.” — Ben, on what transpired after the win over the Browns at Heinz Field on January 3rd.

You can watch it here, with great scenes from Ben’s last game at Heinz Field, brought to us by TwinRock.


Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter and Happy First Passover Weekend!

“Everybody needs something on the road, for some it’s coffee hangs, for others it’s tying flies (Timmy Rose), for others it’s video games. For me it’s usually athletics of some kind. And I’m thankful for all my basketball brothers, my golf homies, my cornhole (bags) competitors that I get to “go at it” with on tour. It bonds friendships, relieves stress and provides fellowship that is well needed out there on the road. Grateful from the heart.” — TobyMac, via his Facebook page.