Steelers Legend Ben Roethlisberger Gushed Over 1 Rookie: "He Played Great"

The Pittsburgh Steelers watched one of their rookies discover something Thursday night that every draft pick wants to learn quickly: the best parts of his college game still work when the defenders get bigger. There was no complicated trick behind it. Catch the football, absorb contact, turn upfield and make the first tackler regret assuming the play was over.

That style is not always the flashiest way for a receiver to introduce himself to the NFL, but it can be one of the easiest ways to earn trust. Against the Green Bay Packers, the more interesting discovery was that the physical personality attached to those routes came with him, too.

Germie Bernard was the player Ben Roethlisberger could not stop noticing. Pittsburgh traded up to select Bernard 47th overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft after valuing his versatility and ability to create with the ball in his hands. The Steelers' post-draft breakdown noted that Bernard forced 17 missed tackles during his final season at Alabama, a number that fits the way he preferred to finish receptions.

His preseason debut looked like a condensed version of that scouting report. Bernard caught four passes for 51 yards on a team-high five targets in Pittsburgh's 28-9 win, with his best moment coming on a 25-yard catch-and-run along the sideline. A short completion became much more once Bernard stayed strong through contact and immediately pushed the play north.

Roethlisberger had already been enthusiastic about the pick after the draft, so the performance gave him something tangible to compare with the college player he liked. During a recent episode of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, he pointed directly to the way Bernard carried that same style into his first NFL action.

“One guy that I’ve been high on since we got him, I think he picked up where he left off in college, was Germie Bernard. I thought he played great. I mean, what a great catch and run on the sideline, showing physicality, getting north. We’ll just continue to see what they bring to the table,” Roethlisberger said.

“Getting north” is a simple phrase for a trait Pittsburgh can use in plenty of different ways. Run-after-catch ability does not always require a receiver to shake three defenders and sprint 70 yards. Bernard can create value by securing an underneath throw, getting square and turning six available yards into 10 before the defense finishes the tackle.

That becomes especially useful for a rookie trying to earn snaps without demanding a large target share. Mike McCarthy does not need to manufacture gadget plays just to justify putting Bernard on the field. If the rookie runs the route correctly and reaches the spot the concept expects, his strength can add something after the quarterback has already made the easy decision.

The college production suggests Pittsburgh knew exactly what it was buying. Bernard led Alabama with 64 receptions and 862 receiving yards in 2025, caught seven touchdowns and added 101 yards with two scores on 18 rushing attempts. His workload included snaps inside, outside and in the backfield.

Pittsburgh has kept that versatility central to his evaluation. McCarthy said during camp that Bernard and Roman Wilson can both play all three receiver positions, framing the competition as a battle for opportunities rather than a single labeled job. Bernard's steady camp work had already helped him close on Wilson before the preseason began, and Thursday offered a chance to see whether his physical style would survive against another uniform.

It survived at least the first test. The important part was not simply that Bernard produced 51 yards in an exhibition game. His most memorable play looked like something Pittsburgh could realistically ask him to do when the regular season begins: catch a manageable throw, refuse to go down cleanly and make the offense's next snap easier.

The Steelers are not short on established options ahead of him, and their initial depth chart listed Bernard behind Michael Pittman Jr. Bernard does not need an August promotion to validate his draft status. He needs enough evidence that McCarthy can trust him in multiple spots without shrinking the playbook whenever the rookie checks into the huddle.

Roethlisberger's praise also comes with the right amount of restraint. He liked what Bernard showed, but Pittsburgh still has to see what the young players continue bringing to the table. One preseason game cannot answer how Bernard will respond when coverage becomes more complex and timing with Pittsburgh's starting quarterback becomes more demanding.

His debut did answer a smaller question about his development. Bernard did not look as though he needed to abandon the identity that made Pittsburgh trade up for him. The contact balance, directness and willingness to finish a catch physically were visible immediately.

Steelers Can Give Bernard More Ways To Use His Best Trait

Bernard's versatility could eventually make his run-after-catch ability even more useful. A receiver who can operate from several alignments can be fed quick throws, crossers and touches near the formation without constantly announcing where the football is headed. McCarthy can move him around while allowing the rookie to rely on the same instinct once the catch is secured.

The next two preseason games should provide a better test of whether Bernard can stack those moments while handling the less visible responsibilities that determine playing time. Route precision, blocking, adjustments and communication will shape his role just as much as one physical run along the sideline.

Roethlisberger saw Bernard's college game and believed Pittsburgh had found a receiver it could move around and use creatively. Months later, his first NFL reaction centered on something even simpler: Bernard still looked like Bernard.

The jersey changed and the defenders got bigger, but the rookie's answer after the catch stayed the same. Secure the football, turn north and make somebody finish the job.

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