Steelers' Art Rooney II Recalls Exclusive Conversation With Jerry Jones About Ben Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a great history and are considered one of the most successful organizations in all of sports. The team has won six Super Bowls in the past, and while the franchise is known for some great defenses, the quarterback play has also been solid in Pittsburgh. Terry Bradshaw led the way in the 1970s, and then the organization had to search for years for its next franchise player at the position. Finally, the Steelers found Ben Roethlisberger during the 2004 NFL Draft, and he went on to win two Super Bowls over 18 seasons with the organization.

Pittsburgh drafted Roethlisberger with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, and it was one of the best decisions the franchise could have made. He went on to become one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, and he was one of the best at this position over the next 18 seasons. It was fairly obvious early on in his career that he was going to be special, especially after leading the Steelers to a 14-1 record as a starter in his rookie season (including playoffs). 

The defense on that team was great and Roethlisberger wasn't the best version of himself yet, but Team President Art Rooney II could still tell he had an impressive player at quarterback, which he shared with the media on Saturday after it was announced that Roethlisberger was being inducted into the Hall Of Honor.

"That game, you could just see him become what we were hoping for." Rooney said of a game during Roethlisberger's rookie season. "Just threw a couple passes in that game that, I remember Jerry Jones told me a few weeks later, 'You got a quarterback.'"

The game Rooney was referring was a game against the Dallas Cowboys during the 2004 season. It was the quarterback's fifth game and fourth start, and he led Pittsburgh to a win as they took the Cowboys down by a score of 24 to 20. Roethlisberger completed 21 of his 25 passes in the game for 193 yards and two touchdowns. That isn't the most impressive stat line for a quarterback, but Rooney and Jerry Jones could tell he was something special.

Jones catches a lot of grief, and rightfully so in most cases, but he has been around the game of football for a long time. His word carries weight, or it at least did back during the time when Roethlisberger was beginning his career. His comments likely gave Rooney and the Steelers organization some reassurance about their quarterback, as well as some confidence about how good the team could be.

Roethlisberger is often overshadowed by the other quarterbacks that played in the league at the same time as him, but he was a special player. There is a reason he is a sure fire Hall Of Famer, and why his name is near the top of all major passing leaderboards. He was arguably the most successful quarterback in the NFL over the course of his career outside of Tom Brady, which is an impressive feat.

Steelers Are Looking For Their Next Roethlisberger

The Steelers are currently looking for their next franchise quarterback, and hopefully the gap isn't as large as it was between Bradshaw and Roethlisberger this time around. The organization has already struck out on one first-round pick in Kenny Pickett, but all signs point to the franchise taking another swing at it in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

If the organization wants to get back to seriously contending for Super Bowls, a franchise player at quarterback is necessary. Very rarely are teams able to go far in the playoffs with a temporary solution at quarterback. Pittsburgh is desperate for its next version of Roethlisberger, and the organization seems to be doing everything it can to find that player in the coming years.

What do you think of Rooney's comments about Roethlisberger's rookie season? Let us know in the comments below!

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