From LeeAnn Lowman, SteelerNation.com:


The Pittsburgh Steelers have been going through a quarterback controversy early in the 2024 season, as Head Coach Mike Tomlin made the difficult decision to sit Justin Fields and allow Russell Wilson to start in Week 7. Wilson was meant to be the starting quarterback, but an offseason injury sidelined him and opened the door for Fields to take the team to 4-2.

Tomlin is being applauded for his decision. The reality is that he hasn’t had to make many quarterback decisions during his over 17 years in the black and gold. When he was hired following Bill Cowher’s retirement, Tomlin was handed a franchise quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. He’d had been with the team for three seasons and had helped them win their fifth Super Bowl title.

By the time he retired after the 2021 campaign, Roethlisberger had spent 18 seasons in the Steel City and almost certainly guaranteed himself a spot in Canton. He won two out of three Super Bowls, was a six-time Pro Bowler, and twice the NFL passing yards leader.

Former Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats recently interviewed a former teammate, wide receiver Mike Wallace. The interview was conducted before the Sunday Night Football game against the New York Jets. He asked Wallace what it was like to play for Roethlisberger.

“That’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Like that’s the best quarterback I’ve ever played with. Ever. Like it’s not even close. He’s a goat. That’s Big Ben. I loved it. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”


Wallace was a third-round pick in 2009, and his single Pro Bowl season came when he played with Roethlisberger in 2011.


You can read more from Mike Wallace, and LeeAnn’s article here.