Ben Roethlisberger Is Excited Despite Roman Wilson's Critical Steelers Near Miss

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the season with a 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, but Roman Wilson gave fans a reason to keep watching the tape. The third-year receiver drew a deep pass interference penalty and nearly came down with a touchdown in the end zone. Those plays showed that Pittsburgh was willing to give Wilson meaningful chances.

Wilson finished the opener with three catches for 26 yards on six targets. The pass interference call does not appear in the box score, but it was another explosive opportunity created by his route. His near score was even more revealing because he briefly controlled the football before landing awkwardly and losing it.

That sequence became a talking point when Ben Roethlisberger discussed Wilson on Footbahlin. Roethlisberger did not sound discouraged by the young receiver or his involvement. Instead, he made it clear that he was excited the Steelers took a shot on Wilson and wanted to see how the receiver responds to the missed opportunity.

"I was excited this week for them to take a shot with him," Roethlisberger said. "He got the PI on the one. He had that one in the end zone where he kind of had it, but he kind of landed awkwardly. As a receiver, you gotta be special. You're gonna take hits, you're gonna land funny, you're gonna land on your head, you're gonna get hit, all kinds of stuff."

Roethlisberger's message was blunt, but it was not a call to bench Wilson or a dismissal of his progress. He was describing the standard that separates a receiver who occasionally creates a chance from one a quarterback trusts in the biggest moment. Difficult catches are part of the position, especially near the boundary or in the end zone.

The former Steelers quarterback went even further with the accountability piece. Roethlisberger said that if he were the quarterback and Wilson immediately came to him saying, "My bad, I gotta have that," he would go right back to him. That is the key to what Roethlisberger is really saying: a missed play does not have to damage trust if the receiver owns it and demands another opportunity.

Quarterbacks remember how receivers react to adversity. A player who becomes hesitant can make a passer think twice about returning to him in a high-leverage situation. A player who owns the miss, communicates confidence and asks for the next ball gives his quarterback a reason to keep believing.

Wilson was involved in two plays that could have changed the game against Atlanta. The Steelers did not hide him, and Aaron Rodgers did not treat him like an afterthought when the offense had a chance to attack downfield. That is why Roethlisberger sounded fired up, not frustrated.

Wilson's six targets also matter because he ran only 29 routes in the opener. Pittsburgh gave him a share of the quarterback's attention despite a smaller route total than some teammates. If he starts finishing those moments, the Steelers may have found a receiver who can create impact plays without needing an overwhelming number of snaps.

Steelers Need Wilson To Turn Near Misses Into Trust

The biggest takeaway is not that Wilson must suddenly become perfect. Every receiver leaves plays on the field, and even great catches can be difficult to secure when the body twists in the air or hits the ground. The Steelers simply need Wilson to make enough of those difficult plays that Rodgers sees him as a reliable answer when the game gets tight.

That trust can grow quickly. A quarterback will keep feeding a receiver who fights through contact, understands the route adjustment and responds positively when a play does not go his way. Roethlisberger's hypothetical response shows exactly how Wilson can turn one missed touchdown into a stronger relationship with Rodgers instead of a lingering concern.

Did Roman Wilson show enough in Week 1 for the Steelers to keep giving him bigger opportunities? Share your Steelers takes with @anthonyghalkias on X, and follow me for more Roman Wilson coverage.

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