First year of his retirement spoke to the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette MDS, wrote the item at PFT. I looked at
the article from Ron Cook, the Post-Gazette. There's some
stuff there that
that I think, is interesting and
Roethlisberger used to do
a radio spot with Ron Cook and Andrew Philip Pony, on 93 7.
The Fan, remember used to cause all sorts of interesting
stories to the point where we're officers Burger realized
I just shouldn't do it because he get on there and get
comfortable and he'd say
a bunch of stuff. He shouldn't say,
well, he said some stuff to Ron Cook that
I got three points. I want to make first first
Roethlisberger said that last year, he thought that GM. Kevin
kolbert didn't want him to come.
For one more season
Mike Tomlin could have gone either way
and Art Rooney, the president of the team was the one that
said we got to bring him back. Now, as I've heard it,
the Steelers made
Roethlisberger and offer last year on a reduced salary, that
they thought he would reject.
That they were surprised when he accepted it because it was
like a five million dollar pay cut with no way to make
the money back. They were surprised. He said, yes,
and frankly.
And look, let's be realistic here Roethlisberger. Last year
was a shell of what he used to be no Mobility,
has pointed it out early in the season, he was trying to be Ben
Roethlisberger of a decade ago, eventually, he colored within
the lines. Eventually, he found a way to make quicker
decisions,
not try to extend plays not try to.
Basically do what he no longer can
and they got to the playoffs.
It was it was surprising.
But they weren't going to be even though somewhat foolishly
thought they'd beat the Chiefs in the Wild Card round and hey,
it was looking good early on.
They were getting nervous in Stamford
Sims and mad case you were getting real nervous when it
was seven. Nothing after TJ. W scored a touchdown on a fumble
recovery but then the floodgates opened for
the Chiefs. It just wasn't enough.
It was over, it was done.
And I think that
that Rooney
To the extent that he did break the tie to the extent that
maybe he said, let's put an offer out there to see what he
does. Just see what he does and he takes it then we'll do it
one more year, remember 2020? There were no
fans.
Because a covid, they didn't have a way to say goodbye to
Ben Roethlisberger. There's no way to have closure. So, last
year was an opportunity for the fans and look, it ended
the right way. That Monday night game, Brown Steelers the clouds
part and Ben Roethlisberger,
ascends to Heaven. I mean that was a perfect ending that
doesn't happen if he doesn't come back for last year. So
that's Point. Number one point number two. He he said that not
enough credit is given to the play that one Super Bowl 43
that was
the first Super Bowl I ever had. And it that was right
before we did the deal with NBC down in Tampa it was awesome.
The touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes
possibly, it would have been the first Super Bowl in
overtime. If the Steelers had scored
a touchdown, our field goal instead of a touchdown, but
brought this burger throws that pass and Tony our homes catches
it. He does the celebration with the ball. The LeBron James
omage
that should have drawn, a 15-yard penalty.
The kickoff should have been at the 20, not the 35, or would it
benefit? 15 at the time. The Cardinals should have had
a chance, a better chance to win the game. I'm all sorts of
layers and levels, fascinating Super Bowl,
one of the most exciting ever
brought. The burger thinks have play doesn't get enough credit
and it made me think of
the fact that Roethlisberger at some level
is a little salty but he wasn't the MVP of that game. Santonio
Holmes won the MVP for the catch.
There was a belief that Roethlisberger should have been
the MVP for the throw and I mention that because
Two years later
when it's Steelers Packers in the Super Bowl, there's
a belief that Bruce Arians who was the offensive coordinator
of time, tried too hard
to Showcase Roethlisberger and make him the MVP of that Super
Bowl, and they ended up losing the game. And that may have
been a factor. A big factor in the retirement of Bruce Arians
Aryans and Roethlisberger were to close
in the estimation of
management, they needed to end that they need. And of course,
it went the other
The wave Todd Haley. But they needed to move on
from Bruce, Arians, because Aryans and rothsburgher were
too close and there was a belief
Within the team
at Aryans was trying to make Roethlisberger the MVP of Super
Bowl, 45 to the detriment of the team's effort to actually
win that game. Now, would they have won the game if they had
different game plan? I don't know.
But when I saw what Roethlisberger said about Super
Bowl 43, it made me think of that. Finally, finally
And,
you know, I feel like a jerk even mentioning this, but when
Roethlisberger's asked, if he has any regrets, how is there?
No mention of what, he put the city through
of what? He put the team through in 2010.
After he got sued for rape in 2009
after he had the
incident in Milledgeville, Georgia, which frankly was
kind of a by-product of the Aryans relationship because
Roethlisberger had a place in Milledgeville Georgia. Because
Arians did, there was the incident at the bar? Is
the question whether or not is going to be prosecuted and all
of a sudden, there's
not going to be any charges, I still think, I don't know, but
I still think that this day there was a prompt settlement,
which Sean Watson would have been wise to do to avoid what
he's gone through the last 16 months. Again, it's his own
fault,
but how does that not get mentioned is you regret your
ask? What regrets you have?
That was his low of a point is it's been for any starting
quarterback. They were ready to run him out of town. They
thought about trading him. This is a chapter in Playmakers.
Remember listening to Pittsburgh talk radio
all of the Grievances that anyone that ever encountered
Ben Roethlisberger and public in the way that he acted and
everybody dredged up things about how like he was, you
know, we're teammate would come to him and say, hey, I we're
having a
charity event. We assign a jersey Fort need say no.
So
I don't know how that, it's just amazing. It's amazing.
With the passage of time can do for something. That was a fact,
a huge controversy,
and it's just, like, it never even happened.
And I'm not saying that
Ben Roethlisberger should be walking around
with a t-shirt on that says, I got suspended. Six games
reduced to 4 and 2010 after multiple accusations of sexual
misconduct. But but
It's just odd. Let's just leave it at that.