Steelers' Legendary QB Ben Roethlisberger Kept A Player From Returning To Pittsburgh: "I Stayed In Baltimore"

The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled for a long time to find their next Super Bowl-winning franchise quarterback after Terry Bradshaw. They got close a couple of times, one being with Kordell Stewart, but it seemed like they always needed an upgrade at that position once Bradshaw retired in 1983. Finally, they found their guy when they drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft.

One of the players that was in the Steelers' quarterback room in the early-2000s was Brian St. Pierre, who the organization selected in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He was selected a year prior to Roethlisberger, and was the third-string quarterback behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch during his rookie season. St. Pierre was waived by Pittsburgh at the start of the 2005 season, and he made a recent appearance on the Recruiting Board YouTube channel. He spoke about his departure from the Steelers, and his decision not to return to the team later in 2005.

"I went to Baltimore and I was on the practice squad for the first couple of weeks. Ben gets hurt, and Pittsburgh calls and wants me to come back, and I told them no. I told them no because Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore said, 'We're gonna bring you up on the roster,' I saw more of a chance. At the time, it was Kyle Boller and Anthony Wright at quarterback [in Baltimore] versus a first round pick [Roethlisberger]. I came in with Kyle Boller, he wasn't Ben Roethlisberger. Saw a potential chance there, so I stayed in Baltimore, and Pittsburgh was mad."

There's an obvious rivalry between Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens. Any player that goes from one of those organizations to the other is going to stir the pot a little. The Steelers needed some depth at quarterback after Roethlisberger got hurt in 2005, but St. Pierre wanted a chance to play, so he stayed in Baltimore. Ultimately, Roethlisberger's talent and stature kept St. Pierre from leaving Baltimore's practice squad to rejoin the Steelers. 

Roethlisberger wound up missing four games during the 2005 season due to knee injuries, which is the reason Pittsburgh had interest in bringing back St. Pierre. He was familiar with the system, and they were familiar with the player. If more players went down, they could trust him to come in and take some snaps. 

St. Pierre wanted to be more than a backup quarterback, and he rightfully thought it would be easier to beat out Kyle Boller and Anthony Wright than Roethlisberger. He never quite found his way onto an NFL field as a true starting quarterback, however. He played in just three games throughout his career, including one for the Steelers in 2004. He had just one lone start later in his career with the Carolina Panthers during the 2010 season.

Steelers Eventually Reunited With St. Pierre

The Steelers' attempt to bring St. Pierre back to Pittsburgh during the 2005 season ultimately failed, but they did have a small reunion with the quarterback during the 2006 season. He was on and off the roster multiple times throughout the year. St. Pierre then ended his career with stops with the Arizona Cardinals and the Panthers.

He was the third string quarterback for the Cardinals during the 2008 season, and clashed with his former team in Super Bowl XLIII. He didn't appear in the game, as the Steelers captured their sixth Super Bowl victory with a 27-23 win. He was in Arizona for two seasons, and retired after the 2010 season which he spent with the Panthers. 

Looking back on his career, deciding not to rejoin the Steelers in 2005 may have been a mistake. He thought he had a better chance to see the field in Baltimore, which never happened. Had he come back to Pittsburgh when he had the opportunity to, he would have a Super Bowl ring as the Steelers won Super Bowl XL over the Seattle Seahawks.

What do you think about St. Pierre's decision? Comment below!

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