Citizendia

Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger during the Super Bowl XL champions ceremony in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Steelers — No. 7
Quarterback
Date of birth: March 2, 1982 (1982-03-02) (age 26)
Place of birth: Findlay, Ohio
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1. In team Sports the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, or uniform number is the Number Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Findlay is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Hancock County. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. 96 m)Weight: 241 lb (109 kg)
National Football League debut
2004 for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Career history
College: Miami (Ohio)
NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11
 Teams:
Current status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Selected NFL statistics
(through Week 17 of the 2007 NFL season)
TD-INT    84-54
Passing yards    11,673
QB Rating    92. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass The 2004 season of the National Football League (NFL was the 85th season for the major professional American football league in the United States This is a List of Athletic Conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA The Miami University RedHawks, formerly known as the Miami Redskins are a College football program that competes in NCAA Division I-A with The NFL Draft is an annual Sports draft in which NFL teams select newly-eligible players for their rosters The 2004 National Football League Draft, took place on April 24 and April 25 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden. Since 1967 The Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL American football players one for an offensive The Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year award was created in 2002. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL Super Bowl XL featured the American Football Conference (AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC champion Seattle In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the All-star game of the National Football League (NFL The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL 's All-star game for the 2007 season. A touchdown is the primary method of scoring in American and Canadian football. Passer rating (known as passing efficiency or pass efficiency in NCAA football) is a measure of the performance of Quarterbacks or any other passers 5
Stats at NFL.com

Ben Roethlisberger (born March 2, 1982, in Lima, Ohio[1]), nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Lima (ˈlaɪmə is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Allen County. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. He was drafted by the Steelers 11th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. The 2004 National Football League Draft, took place on April 24 and April 25 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden. He played college football at Miami University. College football is American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, Colleges and military academies The Miami University RedHawks, formerly known as the Miami Redskins are a College football program that competes in NCAA Division I-A with

Roethlisberger earned the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2005. Since 1967 The Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL American football players one for an offensive He became the youngest Super Bowl-winning quarterback in NFL history, helping to lead the Steelers to a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL at the age of 23. The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle Washington, USA Super Bowl XL featured the American Football Conference (AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC champion Seattle He was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2007. In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the All-star game of the National Football League (NFL The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL 's All-star game for the 2007 season.

Contents

Early years

At Findlay High School in Findlay, Ohio, Roethlisberger was captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams. Findlay is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Hancock County. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each In baseball he batted . 300.

Roethlisberger did not play quarterback until his senior year, giving way to the coach's son, Ryan Hite. Instead, Roethlisberger played wide receiver because coach Cliff Hite explained to the Toledo Blade, "My son throwing to Ben was a better combination. Cliff Hite is an American high school teacher and coach who currently represents the Findlay area in the Ohio House of Representatives. The Blade is a daily newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, first published on December 19, 1835. " [2]

Roethlisberger threw for 4,041 yards, 54 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his one season as quarterback at Findlay. The younger Hite threw for 1,732 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in the year preceding Roethlisberger's quarterbacking debut.

Hite told the Toledo Blade regarding the decision to start his son at quarterback over Roethlisberger: "I'm a nationally known knucklehead. The Blade is a daily newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, first published on December 19, 1835. " [3]

As for Roethlisberger, he has remained magnanimous. He told a reporter for the Findlay Courier at the NFL combine just prior to starting his NFL career, "I'm up here now. So no, there's not too many regrets. " [4]

College career

In a twist of irony, Roethslisberger played college quarterback at Division I Miami University in Oxford, Ohio while Ryan Hite played college wide receiver at Division III Denison. Miami University (colloquially and incorrectly referred to as Miami of Ohio for clarification purposes is a Coeducational Public university founded in 1809 Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state At Miami, Roethlisberger got a chance to start as a redshirt freshman and started three years of Division I college football after starting just one year as a high school quarterback. [5] Roethlisberger holds every major passing record at the school and a number of passing records in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) despite playing just three years before joining the NFL. The Mid-American Conference ( MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA Division I college athletic conference with a membership

According to the Findlay Courier, in 2001, as a redshirt freshman, Roethlisberger threw for over 3,100 yards. In 2002, he threw over 3,200 yards, and in 2003, he threw for over 4,400 yards. In 2003, Roethlisberger led the Miami RedHawks to an unbeaten record in the MAC, a No. 10 ranking in the Associated Press poll and a 49-28 victory over Louisville in the 2003 GMAC Bowl. The 2003 GMAC Bowl was an American College football Bowl game. [6]

Professional career

Roethlisberger takes a snap against the Bengals
Roethlisberger takes a snap against the Bengals

Roethlisberger was taken 11th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. The 2004 National Football League Draft, took place on April 24 and April 25 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden. On August 4, 2004 Roethlisberger signed a six-year contract worth $22. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 26 million in salaries and bonuses, with an additional $17. 73 million available via incentives. He was touted by former Steelers coach Bill Cowher in a press conference as a franchise quarterback. William Laird Cowher (born May 8, 1957) is a former American football coach and player

On March 3, 2008, the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger agreed to an eight-year, $102 million contract. [7] Roethlisberger had two years left on the deal he signed with the team as the 11th overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft. He has stated that he wants to retire as a Steeler.

2004-2005 season

Roethlisberger did not immediately step in as the starting quarterback for the Steelers. He was the #3 QB behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. Though when Batch was injured in preseason, Ben moved up to #2. Maddox started the season opener against the Raiders and the next week against the division-rival Ravens. But after an ineffective outing and third quarter injury, Roethlisberger stepped in for his first NFL action. This injury to Maddox changed the Steelers original plan for Roethlisberger, which was for him to sit on the bench or play very sparingly during the first season or two in order to learn the team's system. Instead he was starting the third game of the season.

As a rookie, he went 13-0 in the regular season (14-1 including playoffs) as a starting quarterback, helping the Steelers become the first AFC team to have 15 wins in a single season, surpassing former Steeler Mike Kruczek for the record for the best start by a rookie (6-0), and exceeding the mark for total wins as a rookie set by Chris Chandler and Joe Ferguson. Michael Francis Kruczek (born March 15, in 1953 in Washington D Christopher Mark Chandler (born October 12, 1965) is a retired American football player who played as a Quarterback in the National Football For other uses see Joe Ferguson (disambiguation. Joseph Carlton Ferguson Jr On January 5, 2005 Roethlisberger was unanimously selected as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press, the first quarterback in 34 years to be so honored. Since 1967 The Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL American football players one for an offensive The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football.

One of Roethlisberger's biggest games was when he led the Steelers to a 34-20 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion and previously undefeated New England Patriots, ending their NFL-record 21-game winning streak. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL The New England Patriots, commonly called the " Pats " by sports writers and fans are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston He completed 18 of his 24 pass attempts for 196 yards, 2 TDs and no turnovers. The week after that game the Steelers defeated the also previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles 27-3. The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Roethlisberger was 11 of 18 for 183 yards, 2 TDs, 1 interception.

In his first nationally televised game on Sunday Night Football, he led the Steelers to a 17-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was near perfect on the night, completing 14 of 17 passes for 226 yards and 2 TDs. A spike to stop the clock on the game-winning field goal drive he led was the only thing preventing him from a 158. 3 rating on the night. Jeff Reed's 37 yard FG in the final minute gave the Steelers and Roethlisberger their 10th straight win.

Two weeks later Roethlisberger faced off against the New York Giants and the #1 overall pick of the 2004 draft, Eli Manning. Elisha Nelson Manning IV (born January 3 1981 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American football Quarterback for the New York Giants Roethlisberger outshined the QB that went 10 spots ahead of him in the draft, posting his first career 300 yard passing game. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 316 yards and a TD. He led his 5th game-winning drive of the season, capping a drive with a Jerome Bettis TD run for a 33-30 victory. An Eli Manning interception sealed the game for Pittsburgh.

In the divisional playoffs against the New York Jets, Roethlisberger threw two interceptions. The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. One interception was returned for a touchdown, and the other was thrown with 2:03 left in the fourth quarter, which set up a potential game-winning field goal by Jets kicker Doug Brien. Brien missed the kick as time expired (his second missed kick in the last 2 minutes of the game), and forced the game into overtime. In overtime, Roethlisberger led the Steelers down the field and put them in position for the game-winning field goal, a 33-yard attempt that was made by Jeff Reed, sending the Steelers into the AFC Championship for the 4th time in 10 years. Jeffrey Montgomery Reed (born April 9, 1979) is an American football Place kicker currently playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On January 23, 2005 in the AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger completed 14 of 24 pass attempts for 226 yards and 2 TDs, but he also threw 3 costly interceptions, two of which returned for touchdowns. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The NFL playoffs following the 2004 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXIX. The Steelers lost the game to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots by a score of 41-27. The New England Patriots, commonly called the " Pats " by sports writers and fans are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston

2005-2006 season

Roethlisberger signs autographs at Super Bowl XL media day.
Roethlisberger signs autographs at Super Bowl XL media day.

In 2005, Roethlisberger led the Steelers on an improbable run, winning 3 straight games on the road to put Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL. Super Bowl XL featured the American Football Conference (AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC champion Seattle What made the run remarkable was that the Steelers began the post season as the sixth seed in the AFC. Since the NFL's current playoff format began, no sixth seed had even made it to a conference championship game, let alone the Super Bowl.

In the 2005 regular season, the Steelers finished 11-5 and secured an AFC wild card spot, en route to victory in the Super Bowl, where the Steelers pulled off upsets at Indianapolis and Denver in the AFC playoffs in addition to wins over higher-seeds Cincinnati and Seattle. During the course of the regular season, Roethlisberger generally played well when healthy, but missed four games due to various knee injuries. During the regular season, the Steelers were 9-3 with Roethlisberger at quarterback, and 2-2 without him.

The Super Bowl run began on Sunday, January 8, 2006 as Roethlisberger helped lead the Steelers to a playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals -- an AFC North rival that had beaten the Steelers by 7 points in the regular season, to win the division championship. The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The rematch featured two teams with identical records, having split their regular season series with each team winning on the road. Early in the game on Carson Palmer's first throw, a tackle by former Steeler Kimo von Oelhoffen resulted in Palmer's anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) being completely torn. Carson Palmer (born December 27, 1979 in) is an American football Quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football Kimo K von Oelhoffen (KEE-moe von OHL-hawf-fen (born January 30, 1971 in Kaunakakai Hawaii) is an American football Defensive tackle The Bengals backup quarterback, Jon Kitna came in and led the Bengals to leads of 10-0 and 17-7. Jon K Kitna (KIT-nuh (born September 21, 1972 in Tacoma Washington) is an American football player at the Quarterback position However, the 17-7 lead midway through the second quarter would be the last time in the 2005 postseason that the Steelers would trail an opponent by more than 3 points. After Kitna failed to produce the Steelers took advantage by taking the next 24 straight points, and the win in a 31-17 victory in Cincinnati.

Their second road win came on Sunday, January 15, 2006. Roethlisberger led the 6th-seeded Steelers against the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL's top team throughout the season and a heavy favorite to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XL. The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis Indiana. Roethlisberger threw for 197 yards and recorded a game-saving tackle on Colts' defensive back Nick Harper, who had just recovered a Jerome Bettis fumble with under two minutes to play in the game. In Pittsburgh sports lore history many extraordinary events have contributed to the city's sports franchises winning — and almost winning — titles Most forms of Football have a move known as a tackle. In most cases this move is one that prevents an opposing player from carrying out what they intend For the English Singer-songwriter and Guitarist, see Nick Harper Nicholas Necosi Harper (born 1974-09-10 in Baldwin Jerome Abram Bettis, Nicknamed " The Bus " (born February 16, 1972) is a former American football halfback for Fumblespng|300px|right|thumb|The rate of fumbles by running backs in the NFL has decreased steadily since the AFL-NFL merger. The tackle saved the season for the Steelers. Pittsburgh led early, but had to survive a Colts comeback to win 21-18, after an errant call that the NFL later admitted was a mistake [8] overturned a Troy Polamalu interception that would have secured the game for the Steelers. Troy Aumua Polamalu (POH-Lah-MAH-Luu (born Troy Benjamin Aumua on April 19, 1981 in Garden Grove, California) is an American Roethlisberger's tackle on Harper, dubbed by many as The Tackle II or The Immaculate Redemption, was compared by many to "The Immaculate Reception" back in 1972 when Franco Harris made a miraculous reception and scored the game-winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. The Immaculate Reception is the nickname given to one of the most famous plays in the history of American football. Franco Harris (born March 7 1950 is a former American football player best known for his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in the city of Oakland California. The victory marked the first time a sixth-seeded NFL playoff team defeated the top-seeded team in playoff history.

On January 22, 2006, the Steelers defeated the Broncos 34-17 in Denver to advance to Super Bowl XL. Bronco, or bronc, is a term used in the United States and Canada to refer to an untrained Horse or one that habitually bucks Roethlisberger completed 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards, and threw two touchdown passes as well as scoring one himself on a four yard play-action bootleg. A play action pass is a type of American football play The play action or "PA" for short appears to be a running play but is actually a pass play in this way American football, a bootleg play is a play in which the Quarterback runs with the ball in the direction of either Sideline behind the Line His run was the last touchdown of the game, and sealed the win for the Steelers.

After losing the 2005 AFC Championship Game, Roethlisberger convinced veteran running back Jerome Bettis to delay retirement, after a tearful promise to him that he would get Bettis to his first Super Bowl. The American Football Conference Championship Game, otherwise known as AFC Championship Game, is one of the two Semi-final matches of the National Football League A running back ( RB) is the position of a player on an American or Canadian football team who usually lines up in the offensive backfield. Jerome Abram Bettis, Nicknamed " The Bus " (born February 16, 1972) is a former American football halfback for professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL He lived up to his promise. The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL 21-10 over the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit on February 5, 2006. The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle Washington, USA Roethlisberger had one of the worst passing games of his career, completing just 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions; his passer rating of 22. Passer rating (known as passing efficiency or pass efficiency in NCAA football) is a measure of the performance of Quarterbacks or any other passers 6 was the lowest in Super Bowl history by a winning quarterback. Though he did convert eight different third down situations in the game to help the Steelers win, none of them bigger than his 37 yard pass to Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward on a 3rd and 28 that set up the Steelers' first TD (a 1 yd QB sneak by Ben on 3rd & goal). With the victory, Roethlisberger, at 23 years of age, became the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl, a record previously held by Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL Thomas Edward Brady Jr (born August 3 1977 is an American football Quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League

2006-2007 Season

Roethlisberger drops back to pass in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006.
Roethlisberger drops back to pass in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006. The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City Missouri.

After a very serious off season motorcycle crash, Roethlisberger missed the 2006 kick-off game (the first game of the '06 season) after having an emergency appendectomy on September 3, 2006. An appendicectomy (or appendectomy) is the surgical removal of the Vermiform appendix. Charlie Batch, the team's backup, started and lead the Steelers to a victory over Miami. Charles D'Donte Batch (born December 5, 1974 in) is an American football Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the Roethlisberger played in the following game against Jacksonville on Monday Night Football. Monday Night Football ( MNF) is a Live television broadcast of the National Football League. However, he played sub-par that night, throwing two interceptions with no touchdowns (though neither the Steelers nor Jacksonville made a touchdown, a record for Monday Night Football). The Steelers lost the game with a final score of 9-0. In week three, Roethlisberger completed less than half of his passes for three interceptions and no touchdowns in a 28-20 loss to the Bengals. The final interception came in the final seconds of the game, in the end zone, ending Pittsburgh's comeback attempt. In a week 5 game against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football, Ben Roethlisberger looked sharp throughout the first half, leading 3 scoring drives. NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly Television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on However, he began to unravel in the 2nd half and threw two interceptions, both of which shifted momentum away from the Steelers and lead to the Chargers 23-13 win. In week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Roethlisberger had his best game of the season so far. He completed 16 of 19 passes for 238 yards with two touchdowns (his first of the year) and no interceptions during a 45-7 rout of the Trent Green-less Chiefs. Trent Jason Green (born July 9, 1970 in) is an American football Quarterback for the St

In week 7, Roethlisberger had another great game, going 16 of 22 for 238 yards, 3 touchdowns, despite a costly fumble. But during the third quarter, Roethlisberger was helped off the field after suffering a concussion following a controversial hit by Falcon's defensive end Patrick Kerney. Patrick Manning Kerney (KUR-nee (born December 30, 1976 in Trenton New Jersey) and grew up in Yardley Pennsylvania, is a professional Roethlisberger was replaced by Charlie Batch. Batch went on to throw two touchdowns and helped send the game into overtime, following a crucial false start call on Nate Washington that ended regulation. Nate Washington (born August 28, 1983, in Toledo Ohio) is an American football Wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers The Falcons got the ball first, and drove down the field, and 46-year old kicker Morten Andersen booted a 34-yard field goal to win the game for the Falcons. Morten Andersen (born August 19, 1960 in Copenhagen, Denmark) is an American football kicker. On October 29 against the Oakland Raiders, Roethlisberger threw 4 interceptions in a 20-13 loss. The loss was his fifth of the season--two more than he had in his first two seasons combined as a starter, and gave him a total of 11 INTs, versus just 6 TDs, on the season. In a Week 9 rematch of the 2005 AFC championship game, Roethlisberger threw for a career high 433 yards and 1 TD, but had 3 more INTs as the Steelers fell short, 31-20 to Denver. Roethlisberger and the Steelers got back on a winning track in a home game a week later against the New Orleans Saints. The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans Louisiana. Roethlisberger threw for 264 yards on 17 of 28 passing and 3 touchdowns to help the Steelers beat the Saints, 38-31.

In Week 11, Roethlisberger overcame 3 first half interceptions by throwing for 224 4th-Quarter yards and two touchdowns as the Steelers scored 21 points in the final quarter to come back to beat the Cleveland Browns, 24-20. Roethlisberger finished 25 of 44 for 272 yards to go along with the 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The following week, Roethlisberger and the Steelers were held scoreless in 27-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore Maryland. Roethlisberger finished 21 of 41 for 214 yards and two interceptions. Roethlisberger bounced back the following game going 12 of 25 for 198 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception in a 20-3 victory over Tampa Bay. Pittsburgh kept their playoff hopes alive in a week 14 27-7 victory against the Browns. Roethlisberger went 11 of 21 for 225 with one touchdown and added another on the ground. In week 15, Roethlisberger went 11 of 18 for 140 yards and a touchdown in a 37-3 rout of the Carolina Panthers. The following week, Roethlisberger threw 2 interceptions and had a sub-500 completion percentage as Pittsburgh lost to the Baltimore Ravens 31-7. The loss ended Pittsburgh's playoff hopes.

Roethlisberger ended the season on a good note by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-17 in overtime. The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was 19 for 29 passing with 280 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Roethlisberger's one touchdown came in overtime on a short pass to Santonio Holmes who proceeded to take the ball 67 yards for the game clinching touchdown. Santonio Holmes Jr (born March 3, 1984 in Belle Glade Florida) is an American football Wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers The win knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs, much to the joy of the Steelers team.

2007-2008 Season

Due to his subpar '06-'07 season, there were many questions surrounding Roethlisberger entering the season. In the first game of the season, Big Ben reached a personal milestone: his first career 4-touchdown game in a 34-7 rout of the Cleveland Browns. The 4 touchdowns went to Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes (a 40-yard strike), Heath Miller, and rookie TE Matt Spaeth. Matt Spaeth (born November 24, 1983 in St Michael Minnesota) is an American football Tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers He followed that up with another solid performance against the Buffalo Bills. He was 21 of 34 passing for 242 yards and a 1-yard touchdown pass to rookie TE Matt Spaeth. He continued his solid season with a decent performance against the 49ers. He was 13 of 20 passing for 160 yards and another touchdown pass to the 3rd TE Jerame Tuman. In week five he had a good performance despite two top wide receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes out due to injury completing 18 of 22 passes for 206 yards and touchdown pass to Heath Miller in the 1st quarter.

In Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens, Roethlisberger threw for a career-high five touchdowns, which tied a team record held by Terry Bradshaw and Mark Malone in a 38-7 rout of the Ravens on Monday Night Football. The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 75th season of the Steelers franchise The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore Maryland. Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2 1948 is a former American football Quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League Mark M Malone (born November 22, 1958 in El Cajon California) is a former American football Quarterback in the NFL. Monday Night Football ( MNF) is a Live television broadcast of the National Football League. All five touchdowns were thrown in the first half, making Roethlisberger one of two quarterbacks in the 2007 season (the other being Tom Brady) and only the fifth quarterback since the 1970 merger to accomplish such a feat. The 2007 season of the National Football League (NFL was the 88th season played by the major professional American football league in the United Thomas Edward Brady Jr (born August 3 1977 is an American football Quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League The AFL-NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues He also posted a perfect 158. 3 passer rating in that game.

The following Sunday, Roethlisberger continued to shine when he erased a 15 point deficit against the Browns. With the Steelers trailing 21-16 in the 4th quarter and facing a 3rd & 10 from the Cleveland 30, Roethlisberger scrambled up the middle of the field for a 30 yard TD run (the longest run of his career at that point). He then completed a 2-pt conversion pass to Hines Ward. After the Browns returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD, Roethlisberger again had to drive the offense with a 4 point deficit. This time he made three crucial plays on 3rd down: an 18 yd pass to Santonio Holmes on a 3rd & 6, a 20 yd pass to Heath Miller on 3rd & 18, and a 10 yd scramble on 3rd & 9. Roethlisberger capped off the drive with a short TD pass to Heath Miller that proved to be the game winner. Earl Heath Miller Jr (born October 22, 1982 in Richlands Virginia) is an American football Tight end for the Pittsburgh

In Week 12, Roethlisberger set a Steelers record, completing 85. 7% of his passes (18 of 21) as the Steelers beat the Miami Dolphins 3-0, a feat made all the more remarkable given the weather conditions. Pittsburgh was hit with a torrential storm, delaying the game 30 minutes due to lightning, while turning the new sod on the field, laid earlier that week, into a quagmire. In many parts of the field, players sunk several inches with each step.

During the Week 15 game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, Roethlisberger threw his 29th TD pass of the season, to Nate Washington, breaking the team single season TD pass record previously held by Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. Nate Washington (born August 28, 1983, in Toledo Ohio) is an American football Wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2 1948 is a former American football Quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League

During Week 16 in St. Louis against the Rams, Roethlisberger posted his 2nd perfect passer rating (158. 3) of the season. He was 16 of 20 for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. It was his third career 158. 3 rating game, tying Peyton Manning for the most such regular-season games in NFL history. Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24 1976 is an American football Quarterback who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football He also became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw two perfect games in a single season.

To cap his comeback season, Roethlisberger was named to his first Pro Bowl, joining five other Steelers teammates on the AFC squad. Roethlisberger's 32 touchdown passes ranked 3rd in the NFL behind Tony Romo and Tom Brady, while his 104. Antonio "Tony" Ramiro Romo (born April 22 1980 in San Diego, California) is an American football Quarterback who plays for the Thomas Edward Brady Jr (born August 3 1977 is an American football Quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League 1 passer rating was second only to Brady. On five different occasions during the season, Roethlisberger led the team back from a double-digit deficit to a lead or tie in the 4th quarter. However, the Steelers would lose four of those five games as the defense in the end could not hold off Denver, New York and Jacksonville twice. Roethlisberger also set a new Steelers single-season record with 32 touchdown passes in the 2007 season.

The Steelers hosted the Jaguars in the AFC Wild Card game on January 5th, 2008. It was a rematch of the Week 15 contest. With the injury to Willie Parker, the Steelers could never mount a rushing attack and Roethlisberger struggled a great deal in the first half, throwing three interceptions (one being returned for a TD by Rashean Mathis) as the Steelers trailed at the half by a score of 21-7. Rashean Jamil Mathis (rah-SHEEN (born August 27 1980 in Jacksonville Florida) is an American football Cornerback currently playing He pulled himself together and went 17 of 23 for 263 yards and 2 TDs in the second half alone. The Steelers were trailing 28-10 as the 4th quarter began, when facing a 4th and 12 at the Jaguar 37, Ben threw a quick pass against the blitz to Santonio Holmes, who broke one tackle and scored a TD to pull within 11. The Steelers scored two TDs on their next two possessions to take a 29-28 lead, but failed on 2-pt conversions on each TD. That would be costly as David Garrard would later scramble 32 yards on a 4th & 2 to set up the winning field goal. David Douglas Garrard (born February 14, 1978 in East Orange, New Jersey) is an American football Quarterback for the Jacksonville finally won the game 31-29 after Roethlisberger was sacked for a 6th time on the night and fumbled with a drive that started under the 0:30 mark.

Having been sacked 47 times (2nd most in NFL), it must be speculated that his performances could have been even better given improved protection. He often showed great skill outside of the pocket, as well as being amongst the top rushing quarterbacks. While the team did not go as far as they would have liked, it was a successful comeback season for Ben. Roethlisberger finished 3rd in Comeback Player of the Year voting behind Patriots' Randy Moss and Dallas Cowboys' Greg Ellis, who won the award. Randall Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977 in Rand, West Virginia) is an American football Wide receiver for the New Greg Ellis may refer to Greg Ellis (actor (born 1968 Greg Ellis (American football (born 1975 American football In his first Pro Bowl, Roethlisberger played three series in the 2nd quarter, going 5 of 9 for 42 yards, a TD, and led the AFC team in rushing with an 18 yard scramble. The NFC won the game 42-30.

Career statistics

Regular season

  Regular SeasonPassingRushingDefensivePuntingFumbles
SeasonTeamGamesAttCompPctYdsYPALgTDIntQB RatingAttYdsAvgLgTdTotalTklAstNoYdsLgAvgFumLostRec
2004Pittsburgh1429519666. 4%26218. 958171198. 1561442. 620111. 000000. 0220
2005Pittsburgh1226816862. 7%23858. 98517998. 631692. 213311. 002723936. 0211
2006Pittsburgh1546928059. 7%35137. 567182375. 432983. 120211. 000000. 0520
2007Pittsburgh1540426465. 3%31547. 8833211104. 1352045. 830211. 000000. 0934
Total4 seasons56143690863. 2%11,6738. 185845492. 51545153. 330844. 002723936. 01885

Playoffs

PlayoffsPassingRushingDefensivePuntingFumbles
SeasonTeamGamesAttCompPctYdsYPALgTDIntQB RatingAttYdsAvgLgTDTotalTklAstNoYdsLgAvgFumLostRec
2004Pittsburgh2543157. 4%4077. 54343561. 39758. 320000. 000000. 0100
2005Pittsburgh4935862. 3%8038. 635473101. 719371. 910211. 000000. 0000
2007Pittsburgh1422969. 0%3378. 02402379. 24133. 36000. 000000. 0110
Total3 seasons718911862. 4%15478. 1954121185. 1321253. 920211. 000000. 0210

Motorcycle accident

On Monday, June 12, 2006, at 11:17 a. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. m. EDT (UTC-4), Roethlisberger was involved in a motorcycle accident near the intersection of 10th Street and Second Avenue near downtown Pittsburgh, in which he was not wearing his helmet. The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−4 is the Time offset used in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone in Canada in winter and the North American Eastern Time Zone during A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by Motorcycle riders KDKA-TV of Pittsburgh has reported that Roethlisberger did not have a valid Pennsylvania motorcycle license at the time of the accident, only a temporary permit that he had obtained after moving to Pittsburgh. According to KDKA, this permit had expired in March. Roethlisberger was travelling east on Second Avenue when a Chrysler New Yorker made a left-hand turn in front of the motorcycle and onto the South Tenth Street Bridge[9] when the accident occurred. The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile built by the Chrysler Corporation from 1939 to 1996 serving for several years as the brand's flagship model South Tenth Street Bridge, most often called the Tenth Street Bridge, but officially dubbed the Philip Murray Bridge, is a Suspension bridge spanning According to an eyewitness, Roethlisberger went over the handle bars of his bike, a 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa[10] shattering the windshield of the car with his head. The Suzuki Hayabusa (also known as the GSX1300R in some countries is a Hyper sport motorcycle originally introduced by Suzuki in 1999 The eyewitness reports claim Roethlisberger tried to get up, but was bleeding from the head. [11] Reports from the scene and news media indicated that the accident was serious but "not life- or career-threatening", though Roethlisberger would later relate in interviews that paramedics on the scene stopped the bleeding in his throat just in time to save his life. [12] After the accident, the shift commander for the Allegheny County emergency service described Roethlisberger as "alert and conscious". Allegheny County is a County in the southwestern part of the U [12] He was transported to Mercy Hospital and was described as being in "serious but stable" condition in the operating room. UPMC Mercy (formerly Mercy Hospital) is a main hospital facility of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and is located in the Uptown section of

Police sources have indicated that Roethlisberger suffered fractures to the jaw and right sinus cavity, as well as a nine-inch laceration to the back of the head, the loss of two teeth and many others were chipped. Paranasal sinuses are air-filled spaces communicating with the nasal cavity within the bones of the Skull and face His facial injuries were severe enough that witnesses on the scene did not immediately recognize him, even after he identified himself as "Ben". [13]

Upon arriving to Mercy Hospital he went immediately into surgery where he remained for over 7 hours. UPMC Mercy (formerly Mercy Hospital) is a main hospital facility of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and is located in the Uptown section of The broken bones in his face were repaired. The subsequent news conference with the Mercy Hospital staff was brief but confirmed early reports that the most serious injuries were to the head and face. UPMC Mercy (formerly Mercy Hospital) is a main hospital facility of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and is located in the Uptown section of There was no neck, spinal, nor brain damage found. After surgery, at approximately noon on June 13, 2006, Roethlisberger was upgraded to fair condition. [14][12]

The most serious injuries to Roethlisberger were a broken upper and lower jaw, and a broken nose. Roethlisberger was expected to make a full recovery in time for the opening game of the season.

In the wake of Kellen Winslow II's crashing of his motorcycle in May 2005, Roethlisberger had been criticized by various NFL members and the media for not wearing a helmet while riding. Kellen Boswell Winslow II (born July 21, 1983 in San Diego California) is an American football Tight end for the Cleveland Browns Even Roethlisberger's coach, Bill Cowher, lectured him about motorcycle safety. Former Steeler Terry Bradshaw warned Roethlisberger personally when he visited Steeler training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and on television, saying "Ride it when you retire. Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2 1948 is a former American football Quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League Saint Vincent College is a four-year coeducational Roman Catholic, Liberal arts Benedictine College in Latrobe Pennsylvania Latrobe (leɪˈtʃroʊb is a City in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States approximately 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern "[12] In a segment put together by ESPN following Winslow's accident, Roethlisberger had said he didn't wear a helmet because it was not required by law, adding, "You're just more free when you're out there and there's no helmet on. " Transcripts of the interview recall Roethlisberger telling Suzy Kolber that he only rides a Harley, or his chopper with friends, not a sport bike (like the one Winslow was on). Susanne Lesley Kolber (born May 14, 1964, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) is a football Sideline reporter, co- producer He also claimed to have his license. Both statements have been proven false since this accident.

Roethlisberger was released from the hospital at 11:46 PM on June 14, 2006. The next day, he released a statement that apologized for concerning friends, family, all his fans, and the Steelers organization, and in which he also stated, "If I ever ride again, it certainly will be with a helmet. "[15]

On June 19, the Pittsburgh police announced that Roethlisberger would be cited for failure to wear a helmet and failure to operate in his license class. Wearing a helmet is optional in Pennsylvania only for operators who currently possess and have had a motorcycle license for at least two years. The driver of the car was cited for failure to yield the right of way. Traffic on Roads may consist of Pedestrians ridden or herded Animals Vehicles Streetcars and other Conveyances either singly [16]

July 13 Roethlisberger in his first interview on ABC's Good Morning America explains that he was told by responding paramedics that he ruptured a major blood vessel in his mouth and was minutes away from dying. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. Good Morning America ( GMA) is a morning news show that is broadcast on the ABC television network debuting on November Despite the seriousness of the accident, his recovery went so well that he started the first three Steelers 2006 preseason games. [17]

Records

Pittsburgh Steeler Franchise Records

Ben Roethlisberger Foundation

Ben started a foundation with the following mission statement, "The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation seeks to (a) provide support for police and fire departments throughout the US with a particular emphasis on service dogs and (b) to enhance the quality of life for residents of Findlay, OH and Pittsburgh, PA. Walter Andrew "Bubby" Brister III (born August 15, 1962 in Monroe, Louisiana) is a former American football Quarterback The Detroit Lions are an American football team based in Detroit Michigan. "

Beef Jerky

Ben has his own beef jerky, called Big Ben's Beef Jerky. The new edition is called Big Ben's XL Beef Jerky. [18]


Trivia

The "#7 Roethlisburger"
The "#7 Roethlisburger"
Peppi's restaurant, home of the "Roethlisburger."
Peppi's restaurant, home of the "Roethlisburger. "

References

  1. ^ "Player Bio. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  2. ^ toledoblade.com - Hindsight makes Hite's sight look blurry
  3. ^ toledoblade.com - Hindsight makes Hite's sight look blurry
  4. ^ http://www.thecourier.com/BigBenStories/articles/unendingbattle.htm
  5. ^ http://www.thecourier.com/BigBenStories/articles/unendingbattle.htm
  6. ^ http://www.thecourier.com/BigBenStories/articles/unendingbattle.htm
  7. ^ Ben Roethlisberger signs 8-year extension with Steelers
  8. ^ NFL Football - NFL News - Realfootball365.com
  9. ^ "Roethlisberger Undergoes Surgery After Bike Crash"
  10. ^ "Roethlisberger seriously injured". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 12 June 2006. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib" is the second largest daily Newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  11. ^ "Big Ben in serious condition after motorcycle accident". ESPN.com. ESPNews (word origin grammatical blend of ESPN and News, spoken as "ESPN news" and trademarked as "ESPNEWS" 12 June 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2006.
  12. ^ a b c d "Big Ben in surgery after motorcycle crash". MSNBC. MSNBC is a 24-hour cable television news channel based in the United States and available in Canada. 12 June 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2006.
  13. ^ "Bike Crash Leaves Roethlisberger In Serious Condition", ThePittsburghChannel. com, posted June 12, 2006, accessed June 12, 2006. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  14. ^ ESPN - Roethlisberger likely to be able to play this season - NFL
  15. ^ "Big Ben speaks out on accident, says he'll start wearing a helmet", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 15, 2006. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG" is the largest daily Newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh,  
  16. ^ "Steelers' Roethlisberger to be cited for lack of license, helmet"USA Today
  17. ^ ABC News: EXCLUSIVE: Ben Roethlisberger Won't Become Helmet Advocate
  18. ^ Big Ben's Beef Jerky
  19. ^ Football Guys "PIT records by year"
  20. ^ Rovell, Darren. "Roethlisberger in demand". ESPN.com. ESPNews (word origin grammatical blend of ESPN and News, spoken as "ESPN news" and trademarked as "ESPNEWS" 4 November 2004.
  21. ^ Fleming, David. "For whom the Ben tolls". ESPN.com. ESPNews (word origin grammatical blend of ESPN and News, spoken as "ESPN news" and trademarked as "ESPNEWS" 19 January 2005.
  22. ^ The Associated Press. "Steelers' Roethlisberger discovers his Swiss roots". Associated Press. The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio 12 May 2006 .
  23. ^ Staff and wire reports. "Big Ben exploring his roots in Switzerland". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 9 May 2006. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG" is the largest daily Newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh,
  24. ^ Fabus, Mike. "Roethlisberger's having fun in Switzerland". www. steelers. com 9 May 2006.
  25. ^ Staff and wire reports. "Big Ben exploring his roots in Switzerland". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 9 May 2006. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG" is the largest daily Newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh,
  26. ^ a b Mondesishouse.com: Maybe Big Ben Will Defend The Donald?
  27. ^ Big Ben's BBQ
  28. ^ SI.com - Photo Gallery - Ranking Top 10 Young QBs:
    25 and Under
  29. ^ Ben Roethlisberger

References

External links

Preceded by
Tommy Maddox		Pittsburgh Steelers Starting Quarterbacks
2004-		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Anquan Boldin		NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
2004 season		Succeeded by
Carnell Williams
Preceded by
Troy Polamalu		Steelers 1st round draft pick
2004-		Succeeded by
Heath Miller
Thomas "Tommy" Alfred Maddox (born September 2, 1971 in Shreveport Louisiana) is a former football Quarterback in the Anquan Kenmile "The Quan" Boldin (AN-kwan (born October 3 1980 is a professional American football player Since 1967 The Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL American football players one for an offensive The 2004 season of the National Football League (NFL was the 85th season for the major professional American football league in the United States "Cadillac Williams" redirects here For the jazz trumpeter also known as Cadillac Williams see Nelson Williams. Troy Aumua Polamalu (POH-Lah-MAH-Luu (born Troy Benjamin Aumua on April 19, 1981 in Garden Grove, California) is an American The Pittsburgh Steelers a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, joined the National Football League (NFL Earl Heath Miller Jr (born October 22, 1982 in Richlands Virginia) is an American football Tight end for the Pittsburgh
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