Ever since Ben Roethlisberger donned the black and gold, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had consistency at quarterback position.
Putting the various (and numerous) injuries aside, Roethlisberger has always been a steady presence on Pittsburgh’s offense, working a changeover of talented running backs, wide receivers and tight ends — all while putting up stellar statistics.
But when NFL experts talk about the “elite” quarterbacks, the names they typically mention are Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and, sometimes, Eli Manning.
So where’s Roethlisberger?
This a man who claimed the starting quarterback position early in his career and has been incredibly solid, if not great, for his whole career. This is a man who is a two-time Super Bowl champion and went to his third Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers in 2011. This is a man who has been the backbone of one of the most dangerous and dynamic offenses in the league.
But he’s an 11-year veteran who still doesn’t get the respect he deserves.
Take a look at Roethlisberger’s draft class. In the 2004 NFL Draft, Roethlisberger sat alongside quarterbacks Eli Manning and Philip Rivers. waiting to hear his name called. Manning heard his name called first with the No. 1 pick in the draft (actually by the San Diego Chargers), and Rivers heard his name called with the No. 4 pick by the New York Giants.
Roethlisberger was taken by the Steelers with the 11th overall pick.
Yet Roethlisberger has been more valuable and better than either of them. And it’s not especially close.
Sure, Manning also has two Super Bowl titles — both coming against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots — but Manning’s recent seasons with the Giants have been less-than-stellar. Rivers has never made a Super Bowl appearance, and he continues to struggle in San Diego.
There’s been a lot of talk over the seasons about having to bench Manning and Rivers due to their lackluster (and high in errors) performances, but there’s never been any such talk about benching Roethlisberger. Manning and Rivers can be all-over-the-place with their play, but Roethlisberger has never shown himself to be anything other than a very talented starter who his team desperately needs taking the snaps.
If you just look at their career statistics, all three quarterbacks have similar stats. Roethlisberger is third in touchdowns between the three with 283 career touchdowns, while Manning leads with 298 and Rivers has 288 touchdowns.
In passing yards, Roethlisberger comes in second place with his 44,111 career passing yards. Manning comes in first again with 45,373 career passing yards, and Rivers is third with 42,557 career passing yards.
When it comes to interceptions, Manning has thrown the most (203), while Roethlisberger is second (151) and Rivers is third (136).
But stats in no way tell the whole story. They can’t quantify a quarterback’s value to his team because they don’t include the intangibles — like how Roethlisberger is the heart of his team, playing through various injuries and somehow finding a way to propel his team to victory.
Stats don’t tell the story of a quarterback’s leadership or his understanding of the game.
Roethlisberger is one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks — opposing defenses can tell you how hard it is to bring the man down — and has an uncanny knack for extending plays. Plus, his movement in the pocket is often incredible. None of that shows up on a simple stat line.
His arm, in both strength and precision, is among the league’s best. And, despite being 33 years old, Roethlisberger only continues to get better; his passer ratings continue to rise. He’s had to adjust to offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s system, and Roethlisberger has done it incredibly well, turning Pittsburgh into one of the NFL’s most lethal offenses (if not the most lethal offense).
When talking about quarterbacks in the NFL, Roethlisberger should absolutely be one of the first quarterbacks named. Right now, he’s one of the best in the game.
While he might not be as popular or flashy as other “top” quarterbacks, he gets the job done, and he does it extremely well. He’s the soul of a Steelers team that is a perennial playoff power.
And Roethlisberger still has plenty left in the tank. He won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
Image credit: Ron Schwane/USA TODAY Sports
