Latest news with #BenRoethlisberger
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
For better or worse: Steelers offense edition
It seems that every offseason since the retirement of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been trying to find a way to get the offense on track without Big Ben. 2025 is no different with the team preparing to start it's fourth different starting quarterback in four years since Roethlisberger's retirement. This year's iteration is no different. Aaron Rodgers is going to see if he has one more season in him, there's a radically different running back depth chart and a new look at wide receiver and tight end. There is also one new starting offensive lineman and one lineman making a position change. Advertisement Here is our look at each positional unit and whether it is better or worse than last season. Quarterback We do believe Rodgers is a better quarterback than Russell Wilson or Justin Fields was last season. We also appreciate the return of Mason Rudolph as a backup, even if he isn't the most talented guy. We are banking on Rodgers playing all 17 games and injecting some life into the passing offense. BETTER Running back Pittsburgh swapped out Najee Harris, who left for the Los Angeles Chargers, and replaced him with rookie Kaleb Johnson. If this were the only move, we probably wouldn't say it's better as of now. However, we give this group the nod after the addition of Kenneth Gainwell, who gives Pittsburgh a viable No. 3 running back. BETTER Advertisement Wide receiver We were so excited when we thought this group would include DK Metcalf and George Pickens. Unfortunately, with Pickens traded away to the Dallas Cowboys, this group is thin once again. Big picture, there's no more talent on the depth chart than last season, but we will give this group the nod just because we don't expect Metcalf to be the problem Pickens was. BETTER TIght end The trade for Jonnu Smith gave the Steelers the best one/two punch at tight end in the AFC. Smith and Pat Freiermuth are matchup nightmares and once you throw in Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward, Pittsburgh might be impossible to stop with this level of scheme versatility. BETTER Advertisement Offensive line Mark it down, by the end of the 2025 season, we expect the Steelers' offensive line to be considered one of the best in the NFL. Center Zach Frazier was elite as a rookie last year and guard Mason McCormick is a future star. We are excited to see how BRoderick Jones does at left tackle and the debut of Troy Fautanu at right tackle. BETTER This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: For better or worse: Steelers offense edition
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben Roethlisberger Breaks Silence on Steelers-Dolphins Trade
Ben Roethlisberger Breaks Silence on Steelers-Dolphins Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Earlier this month, the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers made a blockbuster trade that swapped star cornerback Jalen Ramsey for All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, among others. Since the trade, everyone has had an opinion on players and teams and where they stand. Advertisement The most recent reaction to the trade came from former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers' legend gave his breakdown of Minkah Fitzpatrick and hit on three key points on his "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger" podcast. Roethlisberger went into depth on the narrative around Fitzpatrick's lack of production over the last couple of years, as that may have factored into the Steelers' decision to trade the former All-Pro. The retired quarterback first mentioned that there are always things going on outside the game of football that people on the outside don't know about, and that may have contributed. "I know that there had kind of been some talks in the last year, maybe call it two years, that just maybe lack of production. People talked about lack of interceptions, the lack of splash, the big play wasn't there for Minkah the last year or two, and so it kind of felt like, okay they weren't real like maybe happy with it, but I didn't think that it got to this point, right?" Roethlisberger said. "And I had heard some things that - didn't Minkah have a little one or something - I thought there was something at home going on. Advertisement "Those are rumblings, but are those rumblings outside the building or in the building. Just cause the radio talks about it, or the talking heads on tv, radio, doesn't make it legit. I would say that was a big one." However, Roethlisberger continued by defending the former Steelers' safety. Fitzpatrick played at an All-Pro level in two of the three years prior to his slip in 2023 and 2024. He led the league in interceptions in 2022 and accumulated 299 tackles and 29 passes defended between 2020 and 2022. Fitzpatrick's number only seemed to dip in the last two seasons because he had played so well the years prior. He was still named to the Pro Bowl in the previous two seasons. Advertisement "But my counter to the lack of production, if you will, for him was, it's kind of a two-fold - if you're going to compare him to a bar he set a couple years ago, where he was doing everything - he set his own bar really high, right? He's a leader back there," Roethlisberger said. "Now, there were some rumblings that maybe there were some mistakes, now whether that's by him or he was noticing other people making mistakes, whatever it is, again we're not in the ropes, inside the lines, we don't know. But, he set a bar really high - All-Pro - those are expectations you have to do every year." Roethlisberger also mentioned that Fitzpatrick's dip in stats could be because quarterbacks would stay away from him due to his success in previous years. "So, that's one side, then what I'm also going to say is as the defensive back - corner, safety - if I'm a cornerback and I don't have a lot of interceptions, pass breakups - a lot of times it's because people don't throw it at me, and that also speaks for how good you are," Roethlisberger said. "So, maybe his production's down people just aren't taking those shots. Again, this is all just asking the question. I don't have the analytics. Advertisement "Maybe the analytics, or the stats say that he has given up more big plays on him than we've seen - I don't know that. But, I'm just throwing that out there, maybe it's because people aren't taking the shots at him, you know?" Pittsburgh Steelers former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in attendance as the Steelers host the New Orleans Saints at Acrisure Stadium. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsCharles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports The last point Roethlisberger brought up was the switching of positions and Fitzpatrick's movement within the Steelers' defense. The Steelers looked to use Fitzpatrick's talent and versatility in numerous ways, but that can hurt the player and the others around him sometimes. Roethlisberger detailed how moving slightly out of position can mess with a player's rhythm and production. Advertisement "That's tricky too, because that can get you out of position when you're playing a position that's not your mainstay position, right? You're like, 'Okay, let's move him in the box, or let's move him out of the box, or let's move him around.' Sometimes you can make a mistake," Roethlisberger said. "If you go from a free safety to a strong safety, that'd be like me taking an outside receiver that's like an outside X, which is usually the single receiver side, where he knows he's doing this over and over, and we ask him to do something, and he's doing this. "Now all of a sudden you put him to the trips side where there's three receivers , he's outside - well now he's got two more guys inside him - in his mind he's doing these things, and when you ask him to do the same thing on the other side, well your depth might have to be more important because there's other receivers inside you or vice versa. I'm just saying there could be some mistake when you move people around as much as there is." Fitzpatrick has just one interception and seven passes defended over the last two seasons, but maybe a change of scenery will help the former All-Pro. Regardless, he will be heavily leaned on as a veteran and leader in Miami's secondary in 2025, as a lot of youth currently surrounds him. Related: Former Dolphins Pro-Bowl Defensive Lineman Announces Retirement From NFL This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Netflix documentary highlights what the Steelers are missing at quarterback
2025 will mark the fifth-straight season the Pittsburgh Steelers will open the year with a different starting quarterback. Pittsburgh has been wandering around in the dark since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger at the end of the 2021 season and the team's latest attempt is an aging Aaron Rodgers on a one-year contract to try to get the Steelers back into the playoffs. But after watching the second season of Netflix's Quarterback, it's pretty clear where the Steelers are missing the mark when it comes to finding their franchise quarterback. In case you didn't know, Quarterback follows the lives of three NFL quarterbacks both on and off the field. Detroit's Jared Goff, Cincinnati's Joe Burrow, and Atlanta's Kirk Cousins are this season's lineup, and as a Steeler fan watching it, you really have mixed emotions. It's easy to root against a guy like Burrow on the field because he's so talented but in watching his interviews and his interactions, you can understand why his teammates play so hard for him and why the Bengals are one of the best teams in the AFC. The same goes for Goff and the turnaround the Lions have made since bringing him in. He's a leader and the entire city has rallied around him as the Lions have grown into an NFL contender. Even Cousins and his struggles with his injury and subsequent situation with the Falcons don't dissuade us from believing he would be the guy in Pittsburgh had they tried to trade for him this offseason. Meanwhile, the Steelers try to cobble together a serviceable offense, but they are hoping the scheme and philosophy can overcome a lack of talent and heart, and it just doesn't work. Even if Rodgers somehow gets the Steelers their first playoff win since 2016, it will be a fleeting victory because he will be gone and the Steelers will be back to square one in 2026. Steeler Nation got spoiled with the stability and consistency Roethlisberger provided, and those qualities are so clear in the quarterbacks in the documentary; it really shows where the Steelers continue to fall short.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger reveals Pat Freiermuth's reaction to Jonnu Smith trade
From Steelers fans to TE Connor Heyward, many were worried about how Jonnu Smith would fit into the already crowded tight end room — but according to the legendary Ben Roethlisberger, TE Pat Freiermuth doesn't share that mindset. On a recent episode of the Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast, Big Ben revealed Freiermuth's initial reaction to Smith joining the Steelers' tight end room: "I did text Pat when it happened,' Roethlisberger said. 'He seemed to be really in high spirits. He was excited. He goes, 'I think the two of us can really do some cool things.' So, I think that'll be interesting to see how that transpires. And a young dude that you might be able to keep here for a while. I'm sure [Aaron Rodgers] is really excited about it." Smith is coming off a breakout 2024 season — recording 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns, resulting in the first Pro Bowl selection of his career. Fans can expect a heavy dose of two- and three-tight end sets in Pittsburgh this season — as the Steelers now have a three-headed monster with Smith, Freiermuth, and the massive third-year Darnell Washington. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger roasts Cleveland on podcast
Up until 2017, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was the winningest quarterback in the NFL at Cleveland Browns stadium. Let that one sink in a little. Even to this day, Roethlisberger's 12 wins in Cleveland has his tied for the second-most wins with Joe Flacco and trailing only Baker Mayfield. With that level of ownership of an opposing stadium, we are fine with Roethlisberger roasting the Browns when he gets the opportunity. And Big Ben did just that recently on his Footbahlin' with Ben Podcast. The topic came up of whether or not Roethlisberber could have ever played for the Browns. And while Roethlisberger did have some nice things to say about the team and the city he did have one big hangup that would have kept him away from Cleveland. Advertisement It'd be hard to fit into Cleveland, because I win," Roethlisberger said. During his career, Roethlisberger took on the Browns 29 times. His career record against Cleveland is an impressive 26-2-1. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger roasts Cleveland on podcast
