Steelers' Emmanuel Sanders Shares Crazy Moment When Ben Roethlisberger Told Him To Cheat: "[He] Paid For That"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense was a lot of fun when Ben Roethlisberger was throwing the football to talented wide receivers such as Emmanuel Sanders. Many Steelers fans remember Sanders as the one who got away. He left Pittsburgh after the 2013 season to join the Denver Broncos, where he went on to make two more Pro Bowls and win Super Bowl 50. His time in Denver also included some controversy, as he once stated that Peyton Manning was a much better leader than Roethlisberger, sparking debate among Steelers fans over a decade ago.

Sanders was drafted the same year as Antonio Brown, and together they formed one of the most dynamic wide receiver duos in the NFL during their time in Pittsburgh. Their chemistry and playmaking ability made the Steelers’ passing attack one of the most exciting in the league, giving fans countless memorable moments. Sanders’ impact went beyond stats, as his presence helped elevate the entire offense and left a lasting impression on the franchise.

On Thursday, Sanders joined Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel on his podcast, Cleats & Convos. During the conversation, he recalled a hilarious story about how Roethlisberger once told him to fake an injury, essentially bending the rules to help the team during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

"I think we was out in Cincinnati and I don't know if we had any timeouts, but I just heard Ben [Roethlisberger] say, 'One of y'all, drop,'" Sanders said on the Cleats & Convos podcast. "So, you know me, I don't give a d**n. I dropped there, I'm faking it, I'm acting. They kept the camera on me the whole time."

Sanders recounted faking a leg cramp to stop the clock, only to be seen sprinting off the field just one play later. The incident made history, as it became the first time a player was fined for such a stunt, leaving fans both shocked and amused by the audacity of the play. 

Samuel remembered that crazy moment and had to get to the bottom of it. Sanders continued to explain exactly how he got caught cheating.

"The next thing you know, I guess they found out that I had faked it and the ref had called something," Sanders said. "I had got a fine. What's cool about that story is, I think my fine was like $15,000. I didn't really have no crazy money like that. Ben paid for that fine because he told a player to drop down and I was the one to drop down. Yeah that was crazy... that is that basketball stuff. The NBA learned from me. I guess I am not a good actor man."

During the moment, NBC color analyst Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels were not happy. They took shots at Sanders and made sarcastic jokes, fully aware he had faked the injury. They even implied the NFL might need to take action, and sure enough, Sanders became the first player ever fined for faking an injury during a game.

Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger Proved To Be A Better Teammate Than Many Realize

Over the course of his 18 seasons in the Steel City, Roethlisberger was often questioned about what kind of teammate he really was. Even he would admit he has some regrets, but the truth is he was a much better teammate than most people realized. 

The fact that he knew Sanders would take the hit and even handled the fine himself is proof of that. All these years later, it's a very cool moment for Steeler Nation to hear Sanders open up about the controversial moment.

What were your thoughts when this happened in real time? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!

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