“I’ll give you guys one guess who you think I want to play…Obviously, any game that we’re going to play since it’s the postseason is going to be a difficult opponent, but I think just for me personally I’d love to just prove that five interceptions wasn’t me in that game.” –Ben, clearly talking about a rematch with the Jaguars.

Tune in next Sunday, Jan. 14th at 1:05 p.m. for the AFC Divisional Round Game at Heinz Field. The Jaguars, the No. 3 seed in the AFC, defeated the Buffalo Bills, 10-3, in the AFC Wild Card Game, and as the highest advancing seed will play the Steelers.

It will be a rematch of the Steelers 30-9 loss to the Jaguars on Oct. 8th at Heinz Field.

“The ultimate goal is obviously the Super Bowl. In order to get there you have to get to the playoffs. To get here is an honor. You think of all of the teams that aren’t here and aren’t getting this opportunity. I just feel blessed to have an opportunity.” — Ben.

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

It doesn’t matter how long Ben Roethlisberger has played, the playoffs are still exciting.

Experience. Don’t think for one second that when it comes to the postseason that it doesn’t matter.

When the Steelers host their AFC Divisional Round Game at Heinz Field on Jan. 14, Ben Roethlisberger will be playing in his 21st postseason game. And it makes a difference.

“The speed picks up a little bit, the intensity, and mistakes are magnified,” said Roethlisberger. “Being there before helps.”

Roethlisberger recalls his first playoff experience his rookie year, when he helped to lead the team to the AFC Championship Game. While he was young and inexperienced then, he relied on the experience around him and hopes the same will hold true for the young players on this year’s Steelers roster.

“It’s been a while, and being your rookie year everything is such a whirlwind,” said Roethlisberger. “It’s a neat experience for guys, your city is excited, your team is excited, and the media is a little more. It’s a lot of fun because you know if you lose you are going home.

“I hope some of the young guys will be benefitted by being on a veteran team. I consider us a veteran team now. Having guys that have been there before to talk to, lead the way by example, definitely helped me.”


Benefitting from the bye: With the first-round playoff bye the Steelers don’t know who their opponent will be yet, but they are still spending this week on the practice field, working on different aspects of their own game.

“We are going to go out and execute our stuff,” said Roethlisberger. “We’re going to practice the two-minute drill today, go through some no-huddle stuff. Those things wouldn’t change no matter who we are playing.

“For us to get that work and get the feel back for each other will be good.”

The schedule the team is maintaining is the same one they do during a regular season game […]

Recap from Ben’s radio show earlier today, courtesy of 93.7 The Fan & CBS Pittsburgh:

It was a slow week for Ben Roethlisberger last week for the best of reasons as he was able to rest in Week 17 against the Browns and he joined “The Cook and Poni Show” for The “#1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger Show” to talk about the added rest he’s getting and how the team is preparing for the playoffs.

“I had discussions with Coach [Tomlin] in the fourth quarter of the Texans game whenever I was out, I was standing on the sidelines talking to him I said, ‘Hey, I’m not sure what your thought is for next week, but I’d love to get some reps if you’re okay with that.’ He kind of looked at me and said ‘Let me think about it, I’ll let you know,’” Roethlisberger said.

Ben didn’t want to share the exact conversations he had with Tomlin, but admitted he tried to argue for some reps but was turned down.

Asked if there could be any rust after not playing for multiple weeks, Ben didn’t seem concerned.

“Having two weeks off is different than just having a bye week, but on the other hand it is nice to get your body rested up,” he said.

When it was pointed out that he’ll actually go three weeks without playing, he said, “This is the postseason, you’ve got to be ready to go and fired up.”

Looking ahead to who they could face in the second round of the playoffs, Ben admitted he has his sights set on one opponent in particular.

“I’ll give you guys one guess who you think I want to play,” Ben said.

When Ron Cook guessed Jacksonville, the team he threw five interceptions against earlier this year, Ben chuckled and said, “Obviously, any game that we’re going to play since it’s the postseason is going to be a difficult opponent, but I think just for me personally I’d love to just prove that five interceptions wasn’t me in that game.”

Aside from the playoffs, the other big story surrounding the Steelers has been the release of James Harrison and the former Steeler signing with the Patriots. Ben was asked if he saw the Harrison situation as a […]

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

The Steelers will host a Divisional Round playoff game at Heinz Field on January 14.

The Steelers don’t know who their opponent will be in the Divisional Round of the AFC Playoffs, but the team now knows when they will play.

The Steelers will host a home playoff game at Heinz Field on Sunday, January 14 at 1:05 p.m. They will play the highest seeded team remaining after the AFC Wild Card round.

The potential opponents for the Steelers would be Jacksonville, Kansas City or Tennessee. The Steelers beat both Kansas City and Tennessee in the regular season, and lost to Jacksonville.

This is the first time since the 2010 season that the Steelers have hosted a Divisional Round playoff game, when they defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 31-24, en route to Super Bowl XLV.


Photo: Ben poses with young fans on the field prior to Sunday’s game. (Matt Freed)

Sarah Parkins-Pyles wanted to share a very special Christmas Day story with the rest of Steeler Nation:

As Christmas was approaching, and the seasons were changing, I was dreading it all and did not want any part of it this year.

You see, in July 2017 my beautiful 20-year old daughter Taylor, was killed in a horrible drunk driving accident. The car hit so hard that it burst into flames. Taylor and another friend could not get out and were killed. At about 8:30 am, two Washington State Police chaplains and the local Sheriff came to notify us of the accident. As soon as I opened the door, the mother instinct hit me, and I knew it was about Taylor. Just like in the movies, I collapsed and my 15-year old son, Carson, came running to my aid. He was so confused and upset that his sister was gone and I was hysterical. He just held me and rocked me, and kept telling me it was going to be ok. It was such a horrible event for all of us, especially for a 15-year old to endure.

Carson has been so strong and brave and honestly, I’m not even sure he has shed a tear yet, or been able to grieve the loss of his sister. We were never able to say goodbye, or see Taylor due to the circumstances of the accident, and I was only able to get a button from her jeans, and a ring from the medical examiner.

Our family has been lost and stuck for the past few months and just completely devastated from our loss. Taylor was so amazing and had so much to offer the world. She was a HUGE supporter of our Military, Veterans, and First Responders. In fact she was a first responder in the making, and was to continue on to nursing school this past September. The amount of people and lives Taylor touched has been overwhelming, and I realized her legacy should live on and continue to touch lives and give back to America’s finest. In her honor I have started the Taylor Strong Project, a foundation that will give back to those that serve our […]

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:


On whether he should play this Sunday’s game against the Browns –

“I love being out here with the guys, kind of like preseason games it’s hard to not play. It’s one of those things where it’s not my call.”


On if he was disappointed with the entire Harrison situation –

“I have been blessed to play with one of the best guys, defensive football players, a friend, for a long time. We’ve played in a lot of games together. The biggest games. He has one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history. It’s truly been an honor to call him a friend and a teammate. I’ll miss him. I’ve only had to go against him when he was in Cincinnati. It won’t be the same in here without him especially because he was the oldest and now I am the oldest. I count my blessing for all of times I got to share with him.”


On what he will miss most –

“How good of a player he was. He truly is one of the best to play this game at the outside linebacker position. Just really struck fear in quarterback’s eyes and you can see it.”


On his reaction when Harrison signed to the Patriots –

“James has to do what James has to do. It’s not like he called and asked me if he should or not. James was out there and he was a free agent. He’s going to do what he needs to do that is best for his family. I wish him the best. I had a lot of good years with him.”


On if he worries about players sharing information when they leave –

“I think the first time we played Cleveland I think Sammie Coates had just got picked up by them. That was obviously a big concern of ours, knowing our offense. That’s on James, if they want to ask him every single piece of information he has then that’s what this league I guess and other people do that, too. So, I’m not worried about it. We don’t play them this week and we don’t play them next week so we’ll see. My wife and I were talking last night and she asked if he knew much of our […]