21 years ago: Big Ben’s first NFL Start
“He never lost his composure and he played like I thought he would play. He just enjoys playing. This is a great learning experience. He went up against a great defense with two solid corners. After the first play when he threw the interception, he bounced back. After that, he made good decisions and gave guys a chance to make some plays.” — Coach Cowher, from Steelers.com.
“We played in a hurricane. I remember it being fast. I don’t think I read any defense all day. I just reacted to everything. It was pretty much a blur to me.” — Ben.
Of course he did!
Labeled as the premier deer hunting contest of South Texas, the Cola Blanca Big Buck Contest was founded in 1986. It aims to highlight Laredo and Webb County while showcasing the “biggest and best fair chase and free-ranging whitetails in the grand state of Texas.”
Roethlisberger finished in first place in the Cola Blanca Big Buck Contest’s Archery Most Points category. His winning entry had a 177 1/8 B&C score, a 16 3/8 spread, 15 points and a 35 7/8 mass. Cameron Hanes finished second and Sonny Thompson was third, as each had 14 points.
“Footbahlin’ with Ben Roethlisberger”, Episode 101
Gronk: “Big Ben was one of my favorite quarterbacks to watch”
Gronkowski and Brady may reunite if they’re tabbed as teammates, but the seven-time Super Bowl champion isn’t Gronk’s top choice for a flag football quarterback.
The former tight end picked his dream flag football team on FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams.” Gronkowski chose Ben Roethlisberger as his passer over Brady, explaining that the former Pittsburgh Steelers star’s improvisational skills would translate perfectly to the different format.
“Big Ben is just a quarterback that — a guy that you knock on his front door whenever you get home from school, and you’re like, ‘Big Ben, let’s go in the backyard and play some football,’” Gronkowski said. “He’s so good at playing that type of style when he was playing. It was kind of like streetball, and he was so good at it. Big Ben was one of my favorite quarterbacks to watch.”
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Episode 100 of “Footbahlin’ with Ben Roethlisberger”
They discuss the significance of revenge games in the NFL, the impact of player trades, and the evolving standards of defense in the league. The conversation also touches on the changing dynamics of player loyalty and fan engagement, as well as the challenges faced by the Steelers’ offense and defense. The episode concludes with reflections on the season and predictions for upcoming games, all while enjoying a family dinner.