You Want to Talk About Our QB?

I have been a Steelers fan since birth. The first game I can remember vividly watching is Super Bowl 40, and although Ben Roethlisberger didn’t have his best game, that’s when my fandom for him started. Watching him break away from tackles and chucking 40 yard passes is what I grew up on. This man epitomises what it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. So when I see the slandering of him by very fresh ex steelers and by the national media it makes me down right angry. I want to take you down a little trip down memory lane of what this man has gone through for this franchise.

In 2006, the year after Super Bowl 40, Ben Roethlisberger had a serious motorcycle accident that almost took his life, but still only missed one regular season game.

In 2010 the Steelers were in the middle of a race for the AFC North title when the Steelers played the most important game of the season up to that point when they played Ravens in week 13. On the first series Ben was hit in the face by Haloti Ngata and had his nose broken. I’m sure any Steeler fans that watched that game remember the images of his broken nose and bloody jersey.

In Week 14 of a 2011 game against the Browns, Ben injured his leg on a sack and he left the game. He would then return in the second half despite his high ankle sprain injury. Ben described the pain as “It was one of the most painful things I ever felt. It felt like the middle of my leg was just, cracked ... it felt like my foot was outside of my leg,”.

My best example of what Big Ben has done for the city of Pittsburgh and the Steelers organization is the entire 2015 season. In week 3 in St. Louis, Ben’s leg was rolled up on and his MCL was torn. He would end up missing 4 games. Then, in week 9 near the end of the game versus the Raiders, Ben injured his foot. The next week, Landry Jones started versus the Browns so that Ben could heal his foot, but after getting hurt himself, Ben came in and helped beat the Browns 30-9. The Steelers would end up going 10-6 and grasp the 6th seed. In the wild card game the Steelers took on the hated Bengals. With 30 seconds left in the 3rd quarter and the Steelers up 15-0, Vontaze Burfict sacked Ben and injured his shoulder. The Bengals would mounted a 16 point comeback and after a game saving striped fumble by Ryan Shazier, the Steelers would get the ball back with 1:23 left on the clock. Ben came back on the field and led the offense down the field for a game winning field goal.

These injuries were just the most rememberable, there were numerous other ones. My point is Ben Roethlisberger has given his heart and soul to this team, and has always had the teams best interests in mind. Antonio Brown wanted to make his way out of Pittsburgh. Fine, do what you want, but don’t slander and throw the most important guy to this franchise under the bus. Just say you want more money and be on your way. And then you question his leadership? Really Antonio? Ben never takes the blame? Are you serious? There are so many instances where Ben has shouldered all the blame, it would take days to dig up. What about the interview after the 5 INT game versus the Jags where he question if he even had it anymore( and then only lost one game rest of the regular season).  Then we have Le’veon Bell saying, it’s hard to win with him because he wants to win his way. Well guess what buddy, Ben has been to 3 Super Bowls so maybe he knows what he is doing. I know you are good friends with AB but you don’t have to always back him up. I am also aware of what Josh Harris has been saying, but I am not even going to acknowledge those claims because they are so idiotic they don’t deserve anymore attention.

I am not a Steelers football player, so I can’t discuss his leadership. But from what I have seen as a fan, from playing through injuries and putting his body on the line I can tell Ben does everything with the Steelers best interest in mind.  He cares about the city, the team, and most importantly winning. There is no one else I rather have as my quarterback can.