Today, Ben announced the final grants of the 2013-14 season from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund. The Foundation will be distributing nine grants totaling $77,000 to police departments in the Pittsburgh, PA area where the Steelers play their home games.

“I would like to extend my extreme gratitude to the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for its generosity and support. The foundation’s assistance will provide an integral role in the development of our newly started canine program. The North Fayette Township Police Department canine program relies greatly on contributions like this in order to maintain the high standards required to make the program successful. We are confident that our canine program will serve our community well.” — Mark O’Donnell, Chief of Police, North Fayette Township.

The K-9 departments receiving funding from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation this year are City of Washington Police, Edinboro Borough Police, Eureka Fire Rescue EMS, Forest Hills Police, Jefferson County Drug Task Force, Martins Ferry Police, New Sewickley Township Police, North Fayette Township Police and the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Funds will be used to start new K-9 units as well as maintain existing ones who will purchase additional K-9s, K-9 safety vests, training equipment, food and other necessary expenses such as vet bills and K-9 specific patrol vehicles.

“It will be a big help for our department. It’s not cheap to start a canine program.” — Ron Leindecker, Chief of Police, New Sewickley.

This announcement completes the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation’s seventh grant cycle, during which it distributed $157,600 in grants to K-9 units around the country. In addition to the Pittsburgh grants announced, the Foundation distributed grants to police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers in the 2013-14 season. Ben’s foundation invited police and fire departments in the eight cities to submit proposals detailing their needs.

“On behalf of the Jefferson County Drug Task Force, I would like to thank the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for selecting our department as a grant recipient. We are very grateful and honored to be chosen as one of the departments able to benefit from such a great foundation. The support given by the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is critical to maintaining our K-9 to proudly serve the […]

Ben was a surprise call-in guest this morning on 93.7 The Fan:

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger joined “The Cook and Poni Show” on Wednesday morning to discuss how he and his foundation have stepped up to assist the Pittsburgh Police Department to purchase another K-9 officer following the death of Rocco, a German Sheppard, who died late last month after being stabbed by a suspect.
The Rothlisberger Foundation was started by Ben in 2006 to help police departments acquire and train police dogs. The foundation will purchase a new dog for Philip Lerzo, Rocco’s handler and partner.

“Were not trying to replace Rocco because he is irreplaceable, but we are looking as a foundation to do what we can to help out the police department,” Roethisberger said. “Pittsburgh is my home. This is another way to say I don’t want to leave.”

Roethlisberger also talked with the guys about how Michael Sam has come out and said he is gay. If drafted, would be the first openly gay player in the NFL. He says he is echoing the statements he has heard from most of the players since we first learned of this story.

“I have no problem with any player that can help us win,” Roethlisberger said. “If he can help our team. That’s great.”

He also shared his thoughts with the guys on Ryan Clark’s comments, Bettis not getting into the Hall of Fame and the Super Bowl:

Listen to the podcast here (bottom of the page).



Also Today:

From NFL.com on Steelers GM Kevin Colbert’s chat with the media –

Finally, for any Steelers fans still worrying about Ben Roethlisberger’s future:

“Hopefully he stays healthy and we get the maximum number of years out of him. We have to make the most of those years we have left with our franchise quarterback,” Colbert said.


You can read the full article here.

Yesterday, Ben announced that his foundation (BRF) at The Giving Back Fund will be making a contribution to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police in honor of K-9 Rocco who was stabbed and killed in the lined of duty last month.

Ben said, “The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation started when a police K-9 was shot and killed where I grew up in Findlay, OH. My family and I were moved by what that dog meant to the police force and learned that similar K-9’s all over the country are helping to keep our communities safe. This last week, a K-9 officer named Rocco was killed in my current hometown of Pittsburgh.

“After talking with Officer Phil Lerza and getting his blessing, the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation would like to announce that we are going to get Officer Lerza a new dog. Rocco can never be replaced, but we only hope to help with the healing process and to provide Officer Lerza with another loyal partner.”

Regina McDonald, Acting Chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, said, “We appreciate Ben Roethlisberger’s generosity and support. The Bureau will be looking, in the near future, to schedule a K-9 training class, evaluate potential K-9 handlers and purchase dogs. Officer Phil Lerza will be given first consideration for a new dog. His dog will be the one donated by the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.”

This announcement precedes this week’s expected announcement of nine K-9 grants to the Pittsburgh area as part of the 2013 BRF Grant Cycle. During the 2013-14 NFL season, The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has been distributing grants to K-9 units of police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers. The Foundation invited police and fire departments across the country to submit proposals detailing their needs.


You can learn more about Ben’s foundation here.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation started when a police K-9 was shot and killed where I grew up, in Findlay, OH. My family and I were moved by what that dog meant to the police force, and learned that similar K-9’s all over the country are helping to keep our communities safe. This last week, a K-9 officer named Rocco was killed in my current hometown of Pittsburgh. After talking with officer Phil Lerza and getting his blessing, the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation would like to announce that we are going to get Officer Lerza a new dog. Rocco can never be replaced, but we only hope to help with the healing process and to provide Officer Lerza with another loyal partner.

Little 3-1/2 year old Steelers fan Justin Husar is at Children’s Hospital recovering from a serious bout of Chronic Asthma, something he has been dealing with since birth, and the Croup (a harsh, barking cough).



“What makes it hard is Justin loves football so much and he reenacts every play,” said his mom Amber. “His love for playing unfortunately exacerbates his asthma. It’s hard to get him to sit still! But, I’m sure this is a small bump in the road and he will overcome and go on to be a Super Star one day!”.

Just like his favorite player!

“He’s a huge Big Ben fan! We have to have Steeler games on 24/7 and he takes his little ‘Big Ben’ doll everywhere! He throws a perfect spiral football, learned by watching Ben over and over…It’s hilarious!”


Steeler Nation, keep this little fella in your thoughts and prayers as he overcomes this “bump in the road”!

From Scott Brown today at ESPN.com:

A strong finish that nearly propelled the Steelers into the playoffs following an 0-4 start has positioned them to return to the postseason following a two-year absence.

That is the consensus of the eight ESPN NFL Nation reporters whose teams they cover were designated as ones trending up after missing the playoffs. All eight reporters voted on the order of the teams trending up, and the Steelers finished first among those teams that are most likely to make the playoffs next season.

Ben Roethlisberger is probably the biggest reason why.

He is easily the best quarterback among those on the eight teams in this survey, and he is still in his prime as his play in 2013 showed.

Roethlisberger set a franchise record for completions in a season (375) while also throwing for 4,261 yards — the second-highest total of his career — in leading the Steelers to a 6-2 record in the second half of the season. Roethlisberger will be complemented in 2014 by a ground game anchored by Le’Veon Bell, who could develop into the Steelers’ best running back since Jerome Bettis…


You can read more here.