Former Steelers Safety Mike Logan Makes Honest And Revealing Admission About Ben Roethlisberger And His Rookie Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers had been looking for a new franchise quarterback for about 20 years when they drafted a young player named Ben Roethlisberger from Miami University of Ohio. While he was with Miami, Roethlisberger attracted the attention of scouts thanks to the numerous records he set. He was part of a strong draft class that included Eli Manning and Philip Rivers. 

The tale of how Pittsburgh almost didn't take Roethlisberger has become legendary. Former Head Coach Bill Cowher and former Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert wanted to select a guard from Arkansas named Shawn Andrews. However, Steelers Owner Dan Rooney overrode them, and when he saw Roethlisberger was still available, he insisted they take him with the 11th overall pick. Rooney wasn't without reason since the Steelers had previously passed up on quarterback Dan Marino.  

Recently, former Steelers safety Mike Logan spoke with Arthur Moats, who'd played linebacker for the Black and Gold. While on Moats' show, Logan, a Pittsburgh native, shared that the veterans were a bit wary of the rookie Roethlisberger when he first played. 

"The amazing thing about Ben was he was a rookie when he came in, and he had to take the reins when Tommy Maddox got hurt and as a rookie. Like as a veteran player, you're looking at a rookie player,  you're like, we don't know if we can have that much faith in him. He has to prove himself. And look what he did with his career. Ben, I think, learned a lot from the veterans when he was a rookie, and therefore, he was able to pass down the knowledge and wisdom that he gained from all the veteran players to the younger players after him."

While Cowher immediately named Roethlisberger the franchise quarterback, the plan was to give him time to develop and learn. He started the 2004 season off third on the depth chart behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. He moved up to the backup role when Batch was injured during the preseason. Maddox won the season opener against the Oakland Raiders, but was less impressive in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens. When he got injured in the third quarter, Cowher decided to start the rookie, and they never looked back. 

As a rookie, Roethlisberger led the 15-1 Steelers to the AFC Championship, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots. The 2005 season was met with high expectations after the performance from the prior season, but the Steelers struggled and looked like they'd miss the playoffs. However, the team rallied and went on a winning streak to finish the season 11-5. They carried that win streak into the playoffs and became the second team in history to win all three playoff games on the road. The second-year quarterback showed poise as he led his team to victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. 

Roethlisberger led the Steelers to three Super Bowls during his 18 years with the team, winning two. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and twice the NFL passing leader. When he retired, he ranked fifth overall for career passing yards with 64,088, eighth for touchdowns with 418, and fifth in completions with 5,440. He is one of only six quarterbacks who have beaten at least 31 of the 32 NFL teams.  

Steelers' Mike Logan Fulfilled A Lifelong Dream At Super Bowl XL

Logan would hardly be the only young man to dream of playing professional football. He got to do it for his hometown team and then won a Super Bowl with them. However, Logan said his goal was more complex than that. 

During the interview with Moats, Logan said his dream had been to have his mom see him win a Super Bowl in Pittsburgh. She had always wanted that for her son, but it almost didn't happen. Logan's mother was terminally ill during the 2004 season, and he was grateful she lived long enough to come to Detroit and cheer for her son. He said that despite sustaining a major knee injury during the game, he lifted his mother over the wall at Ford Field and carried her onto the field to celebrate. She passed shortly after at the age of 51. 

If you remember Roethlisberger's rookie year, were you surprised they started him almost right away? Click to comment below. 

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