Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Calls Out Jalen Ramsey During Final Drive

The Pittsburgh Steelers gave their fans a rollercoaster of a regular season finale in Week 18 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers were lucky enough to get out of Acrisure Stadium alive with a 26-24 win, punching their ticket to the playoffs in dramatic fashion. As if that wasn’t enough, Pittsburgh also earned the hats and T-shirts, clinching the AFC North for the first time since 2020 and giving Steeler Nation a moment it had been waiting years to celebrate.

Just moments before that celebration, though, the Steelers nearly watched the game slip away. Lamar Jackson found tight end Isaiah Likely late, setting up what looked like a potential Ravens game-winning field goal as time expired. For a split second, it felt like the season might end in heartbreak, but fortune finally swung Pittsburgh’s way when kicker Tyler Loop missed the 44-yard attempt, sealing a narrow Steelers victory in a finish that left both fan bases stunned.

The chaotic ending sparked plenty of discussion around the league, including from former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. On Tuesday’s episode of his podcast Footbahlin, Roethlisberger admitted he was shocked that Jalen Ramsey wasn’t able to get the football away from Likely on the decisive play. In true Roethlisberger fashion, he broke down the moment from a quarterback’s perspective, highlighting just how close the Steelers were to seeing their AFC North title hopes vanish in the final seconds.

"I was thinking too, when Isaiah Likely, their tight end, caught that pass," Roethlisberger said while speaking on his podcast Tuesday night. "Even Jalen Ramsey, like, he sees the ball the whole way. I would have bet the farm, bet everything, that Jalen Ramsey was knocking that ball down. He wasn’t even trying to intercept it. A lot of DBs, when they get back there, they panic. That is why we joke, that’s why they play defense. Ramsey’s not that way. He is going to make the proper play. He was batting the ball down, and he saw it the whole way. It didn’t surprise him."

Many Steelers fans would agree that when the ball was in the air and Likely and Ramsey were trying to make a play, most assumed Ramsey would come up clutch. 

He didn’t, and that outcome clearly surprised Roethlisberger, which is a testament to just how good Ramsey has been throughout the 2025 season in the eyes of the former Steelers great quarterback. Though in that moment, Likely beat Ramsey.

"When that ball was in the air and I saw No. 5 [Jalen Ramsey] coming to make the play, I thought the game was over," Roethlisberger said. "And then he did not knock the ball down, and Likely makes the catch. I’m like, 'Oh my gosh, I feel so bad for Ramsey too.' He has been a huge addition to this team. He was in position. I thought everything was great, and then it just didn’t happen."

In the end, the Steelers escaped Week 18 with everything they wanted and barely avoided a disastrous finish. 

Steelers Secure AFC North Title

The missed field goal, the defensive breakdown, and Roethlisberger’s reaction all served as reminders of how thin the margin for error is, especially against a division rival like Baltimore. 

While the ending wasn’t perfect, Pittsburgh showed resilience when it mattered most, earning an AFC North title and a playoff berth. As the postseason begins, the Steelers will look to clean up those late-game moments, knowing that luck alone won’t be enough once the stakes get even higher.

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