“I’ve watched him, the last three years he’s been in unbelievable condition. Just getting in shape. I think that arm was hurting him for a year. So I think they’re going to have a big, big year. I think the Steeler defense is coming on. They could be right back in the thick of it.” — Bruce Arians.

From Hunter Homistek at DKPittsburghSports.com:

Ben Roethlisberger isn’t fat and out of shape, people.

Enough.

Roethlisberger’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, and his conditioning, while it’s become a hot topic recently thanks to a comment from Jay Glazer, has never been a problem on the field. Where it matters.

That said, it’s 2020, the Internet exists, and people went berserk with the Glazer’s words. As such, Pat McAfee had to investigate during Thursday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show. Speaking with Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians — who also served as the Steelers’ wide receivers coach from 2004 – 2006 and the team’s offensive coordinator from 2007 – 2011 — McAfee steered the conversation toward Roethlisberger, first by joking about the jungle currently growing on the quarterback’s face.

“Oh, baby. He’s got it going,” Arians, who is Roethlisberger’s neighbor on Lake Oconee in Georgia, began. “He’s trying to replace [Brett] Keisel.”

Then, McAfee turned to Roethlisberger’s recovery and his conditioning, noting that he had heard Roethlisberger is, in fact, taking his fitness seriously after coming off elbow surgery that sidelined him for all but six quarters of the 2019 season. Arians agreed.

That sentiment echoes Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert’s from late February in Indianapolis.

“He didn’t play last season so his body, the rest of his body, got the year off,” Colbert said. “I think that’s part of it. Anytime you repair anything with any kind of surgery, nobody knows at what point, you know when it happened, but what were the symptoms? Was his arm as strong as it had been? Who knows? I’m just optimistic that it could be better.”

Hunter’s Take:

What’s left to add? Everyone close to Roethlisberger has said the same thing since he went down last year and got the required surgery: He was hurting for a while, the issue’s handled and he’s on track to return for Week 1 of the 2020 season.


You can read more from Mr. Homistek’s report here.

“I honestly don’t know much about Chase other than his numbers and size, but I’m excited. I heard he’s a good, hard-working guy and a great teammate. I’m sure he’s excited to get to come share a [wide receivers meeting] room and learn from a great player like JuJu.” — Ben, on Chase Claypool.

Are you wondering what happens now with the young men drafted by the Steelers during the pandemic?
The Steelers’ Bob Labriola has the answer in his latest “Asked & Answered“:

William Dowdell, Cocoa Beach, FL: What is the plan going forward for all of the men the Steelers added during the three days of the NFL Draft? What will the Steelers ask them to do in order to be ready for OTAs, rookie camp, training camp, and how is that going to be different from a non-pandemic year?

Bob Labriola: The Steelers virtual offseason program began yesterday, and Coach Mike Tomlin referred to that when he and General Manager Kevin Colbert did their final video-conference with the media at the end of the draft. Tomlin said, “We’re excited about the young men we were able to acquire, and now it’s our job as a coaching staff to get these guys assimilated into the program, and not only them but all of our guys as we get into the virtual offseason starting on Monday, and we’re excited about that.”

I would imagine that Phase I and Phase II of the virtual offseason program can be relatively identical to Phase I and Phase II of what the offseason program would be if all of the individuals were gathered at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, because on-field football-related drills are prohibited by the CBA at that time. There will be some differences created by not being in the same room, but the information will be transferred from coach to player, and then the players will be given a workout program that can do on their own to prepare themselves physically for whenever the sport re-opens. It will be different and it will be a challenge, but as Tomlin always says, since it’s the same for everybody, it’s fair.


You can read more from Mr. Labriola’s column here (and submit your own question).


Stay safe and well, Steeler Nation!

So did I (had a 3 hour trip to deliver supplies to family). But, the folks at Steelers Depot didn’t miss it and have transcribed it perfectly in three different posts:

Segment 1: Roethlisberger: ‘I’ll Know It In My Heart When I’m Ready And I Think I’m Pretty Close’

“[Ashley] liked [the beard] at first, hates it now. I keep saying that she’s going to cut it off in my sleep like Samson. You know, like come in there with clippers and the hair. So, my whole thing was I said it was kind of the whole Samson effect when it happened. We were flying up to the surgery and I’m not sure why, I felt something that said, ‘Don’t cut your hair or your beard until you come back.’

“I said to her, ‘I wanna throw a pass. When I can throw an NFL pass, I’ll shave it.’ And she’s like, ‘Well, is like an NFL pass in the living room to your kid, or what qualifies an NFL pass?’ So, every day I’m out throwing on our throwing days – Monday, Wednesday, Friday, she’s like, ‘That definitely was an NFL pass.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, almost.’ And I’ll know it in my heart when I’m ready and I think I’m pretty close.”

Segment 2: Roethlisberger Excited To Return And Compliment Steelers Improved Defense

“It was tough being on the sidelines last year. It was, because all of us are competitive, right? We all want to be out there. It’s what we love to do. And as a quarterback, you feel like that’s my team out there and I want to be out there leading my guys. And I want to help them and I want to do everything I can and be out there to go through the battle with them. But when you can’t do that, it’s so hard and it just tugs at you.”

Segment 3: Roethlisberger On Steelers Possibly Drafting Another QB: ‘That’s Their Prerogative’

“You know, we’ve got some quarterbacks on the roster, but if they feel like there’s a better one out there, then they got to go get him. And that’s their prerogative. That’s why they are the owners, the GMs and the coaches and we just play. So, it’s not going to change my mindset, my mentality, my motivation.”

Now Steelers Depot […]