From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:

If the Antonio Brown camp experience is about flash and adoration, Ben Roethlisberger opts for speed and ice.

Roethlisberger just wrapped his 13th training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers at Saint Vincent College, and a couple of things stood out, aside from his obvious ability at quarterback.

He has gotten more rest days.

And he has a sweet, three-wheeled hunting ride for zipping around campus.

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The Steelers implemented what seemed like a three-day cycle of rest for Roethlisberger: full participation, partial participation, off day. One Steelers staffer jokingly referred to it as the Hines Ward treatment, a nod to an accomplished, older player who doesn’t need the reps that young players do.

After most practices or throwing sessions, Roethlisberger, 34, ices his throwing elbow or his left knee, or both. This is precautionary. Roethlisberger has said he has felt no negative effects from the sprained medial collateral ligament he suffered last season, and the elbow ice is for maintenance.

Roethlisberger also gets rest from preseason games. He won’t play Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles after sitting the opener against the Detroit Lions. The Steelers can call it the Ben Bubble, a way to protect their prized asset.

The way the Steelers see it, giving more reps to Landry Jones and Dustin Vaughan doesn’t hurt Roethlisberger.

“I know what Ben is capable of,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “He showed up in tremendous condition. He’s performed well. He’s obviously a veteran. What’s required for him to be ready to play might be different than others.”

Now, onto the ride. Roethlisberger drives what’s called a “Quiet Kat,” described by the company as an “advanced electric vehicle for today’s progressive outdoorsman who wants to get out and go further.”

It’s mountain biking meets all-terrain vehicle, basically.

As Roethlisberger whizzed by one day on campus, he called it his “training camp vehicle,” a way to get to and from meetings or lunch. This bad boy goes up to 32 miles an hour without making a sound.

Roethlisberger drove his Quiet Kat in the outfield while trying to catch pop flies during the Steelers’ annual home run derby on campus.

Now that camp is wrapping up, Roethlisberger will drive something else soon enough — downfield in live action.


You can read more from Mr. Fowler here.


*Interested in your own Quiet Kat? You can check out their website here, and while you’re there, you can enter to win one!