From Ben's chat with the media on the first day of camp:
Q: Was it nice to hear the fans welcome you?
Ben: “Yeah, it was good to be out here. I walked out and Hines and I walked out together and they cheered pretty loud so it was fun.â€
Q: Were you concerned the crowd reaction was going to be negative?
Ben: “I didn’t know. I was a little nervous and scared about it but it was neat to hear everybody cheering and seeing my jersey and a lot of encouragement.â€
Q: Are you relieved this first step is over, getting out there in front of fans?
Ben: “Absolutely. This morning I talked to some friends and family between practices at lunch and everyone asked ‘How did it go, how did it go?’ I wasn’t worried about this morning’s practice. I did pretty well. It was this afternoon’s one but I think it went well. I think I completed every pass so the football side went well and the fans were warm and loving as I hoped they would be.â€
Q: Hines Ward said you have been more engaging with the other players. Did you feel that was something necessary after this offseason?
Ben: “That’s me in general, being more personable. I understand that these guys have a lot of support and a lot of love for me. A lot of them came to me (Saturday) and said, ‘Don’t worry about it because we’ve got your back no matter what.’ That really was special.â€