Dear Ben,
There seems to be a rift between what the Steelers fan base expects of you and what you expect of yourself. While you may be able to justify to yourself your own actions (or lack thereof), the excuses you are making are insufficient to quell our collective doubts. We see your performance (or lack thereof) week in and week out in high definition and from all camera angles. You cannot hide or deceive when your exposure is all-encompassing.
We watched you commit four turnovers in the soul wrenching loss to Chicago in prime time. We have heard you say that it was just defenders making plays, but here is the thing: you aren’t taking care of the football. Hell, you aren’t taking care of your team. There is a half of a roster of guys that hold positions on the offensive side of the football that are under your direction on the field. Some, if not all, actually do care about executing properly, and are cognizant of the fact that proper execution will lead to successful plays, and to that end, possibly a mark in the “win” column at the end of four quarters.
Let me ask you a question. Do you even care any more? You cannot ignore the fanaticism of the Black and Gold faithful, as is evidenced 10 Sundays a year in what — up to this point — are the friendly confines of Heinz Field. We expect more from you. That stadium was not built in your honor, or in anticipation of your arrival, and I can tell you without any trepidation that any more laughable shows akin to the one orchestrated last night against a Bears team that is very beatable, will have Steeler Nation calling for your head. The stirrings and murmurings are becoming hard to ignore, even from 30 miles away.
We don’t want to hear excuses. We don’t want you to place blame on your offensive coordinator or anyone else whom you choose to make your personal scapegoat. Let me tell you something…when you are raised in this town, you are brought up to know and understand the concept of accountability. If you do not understand this term, or any others stated in this open letter, I advise you to pick up a dictionary and familiarize yourself with them. This city and this team owes you nothing. Quite the opposite, actually. In case you have forgotten, your contract stated a monetary sum that included nine, count them, nine digits to the left of the decimal point. That is more money than any 10 of us, who pay a significant portion of that salary by attending your games and buying your team’s gear, will ever see in a lifetime. So tell me, Ben, who owes who what?
A sense of entitlement will not fly in Western Pa., nor will it fly in any of the tens of thousands of bars and households across this nation, and around this world, who faithfully tune in to watch their beloved team. This isn’t about you, Ben. It’s about us. I urge you to reconsider your level of dedication to the cause. Don’t think for a minute that we will not turn on you. Many of us already have. I am not sure whether your seemingly flippant attitude towards what we find so meaningful has to do with problems at home, the pressure of being a dad, or whatever other off field issues you have, but you need to realize which side your bread is buttered on, and make a concerted effort to play to your full potential for the team and fans that make your lifestyle possible.
You may not care now what the city thinks of you, but you are well on your way to becoming the next Terry Bradshaw. Perhaps you should have another sit down with the man who holds roughly twice as many accolades as you, and exactly twice as many Lombardi Trophies, and let him explain to you how not to alienate a city. It would do you good to realize what size your britches are, and Terry is just the guy to tell you that you’re wearing ones that are a couple sizes too small right now.
Sincerely,
Just one guy who’s small role contributes to the whole of Steeler Nation.
(Take that without the grain of salt)
