he most hands-on training camp of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s career ends Friday when the Pittsburgh Steelers break camp after spending the last three weeks at St. Vincent College.
That doesn’t mean that Roethlisberger will stop going over painstaking details with his wide receivers or surrender his duties as a de facto coach when the Steelers start practicing at team headquarters next week.
“It’s been fun it’s something that I need to do and want to do.†Roethlisberger said Thursday after the first of two joint practices with the Buffalo Bills. “The coach can tell them what they’re supposed to do but if I tell them what I want them to do it’s a big difference. It’s been a good [camp] in that sense.â€
Roethlisberger said he’s never coached the wide receivers as much as he has this camp, and it makes sense that he has assumed even more of a leadership role. Roethlisberger is entering his 11th season and has never had more ownership of the Steelers’ offense. He is also working with a wide receivers unit that is generally young.
Just as Roethlisberger has high hopes for that group, he is also pleased with how the offensive line has come together in camp.
“They have just such a cohesiveness as a unit,†Roethlisberger said, “and it’s something special.â€