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This season will be unlike any other for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first in almost two decades as they will not have Ben Roethlisberger on the depth chart at the very minimum.
As we all know, “Big Ben” has since decided to retire after a career that spanned 18 seasons in which he managed to lead the franchise to a total of three Super Bowl appearances and two victories in the NFL’s biggest game.
Although there will be many of us who will still be hoping that he will be performing his own Tom Brady U-turn on a decision that he probably regretted making too early, there does not seem to be any indication that No. 7 is about to do the same just yet.
The Steelers will head into their very first preseason in 19 years without Roethlisberger, and head coach Mike Tomlin will have a lot on his mind about what decision he needs to make in regards to moving the franchise forward and getting them to compete for the Super Bowl once again, as many Steeler fans would state it has been far too long since the team’s last appearance in the showpiece given that it was back in the 2010 NFL season.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sends his farewells at his final home game in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field. | ESPN
It should, though, be something that the organization has been preparing for as the eventuality that their legendary QB was to retire was always on the cards, especially as speculation continued to surround “Big Ben” throughout the final year of his playing career.
However, whilst it is something the Steelers know that they would need to do at some point, it does not make the task of doing so any easier.
While all of Steeler Nation will know what he had managed to achieve while on the field for the iconic NFL franchise, it is always worth pointing out the various feats that Roethlisberger had managed to do over the course of his near-two decade career. Naturally, there will be a new generation of Pittsburgh Steelers fans who may not have realized just how significant “Big Ben” was, although they would have likely been told by family and friends given the impact that the quarterback had on the organization.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger celebrates winning the Lombardi Trophy in 2009. | Donald Miralle / Getty Images
So, what did he achieve? Well, to put it simply, he managed to achieve a lot!
In his NFL career, he was a 2× Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII), an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2004, a 6× Pro Bowler in 2007, 2011, and through 2014–2017, as well as a 2× NFL passing yards leader in 2014 and 2018, while being included in the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2004.
Additionally, he held numerous individual records including having the most career 500-yard passing games which consisted of a total of four, the most career-perfect passer rating games which stood at four, as well as the most completions in a regular or postseason game, totaling 47.
His overall statistics included 8,443 passing attempts, with a completion rate of 64.4% as he completed 5,440 of those that he threw. Perhaps most importantly, he threw for a total of 418 touchdowns with 64,088 total passing yards. Of course, he did also have 211 interceptions, but that is not bad at all given his ratio; which is reflected in his passer rating of 93.5.
Clearly, his departure from Heinz Field is going to have a profound impact on the Steelers as an organization and coach Tomlin is going to have his work cut out if they are to remain as impactful in the AFC and the NFL as a whole.
Indeed, there will be many that will have likely enjoyed placing sports wagers in the last couple of years in Pennsylvania on the team since it was made legal and the fact that the team is one that consistently puts together a winning season under the guidance of their coach.
However, those that are perhaps considering betting on Super Bowl LVII when it is scheduled to be played on February 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona might want to think long and hard about the chances that the Steelers have.
When it comes down to Vegas, it seems many are not fancying them at the moment, with it being predicted that Tomlin will have his first losing season in 15 years as the head coach. This will likely scare some bettors, although could the team’s preseason show that this is a fear that is perhaps not needed?
Of course, the quarterback position is going to be the biggest issue for the Steelers moving forward towards the preseason, with it crucial that they get things right from the beginning to ensure they have a chance of reaching a Super Bowl for the first time since 2010.
It should be noted that there is some depth on the chart for the position, with the locker room currently containing Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins, and Mitchell Trubisky after he was acquired in free agency last month. Indeed, there is some promise there, although whether they have the time to make sure each of them is up to scratch could be a concern.
Rudolph is the most experienced with offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s playbook, however, he has only played in 17 games in the NFL, with 10 starts. His record, though, is 5-4-1 and has 16 TDs, although he does throw a number of interceptions (11). Haskins was on the roster towards the end of last season while Trubisky has only just arrived in Pittsburgh. Nonetheless, both of these individuals are experienced players and still have age on their side at 24 and 27 respectively. Again, the only issue will be learning the playbook and getting off to a quick start.
Outside of the QB position, though, the Steelers have been incredibly active in free agency with improvements being made to the offensive line and the defense, although the departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster to the Kansas City Chiefs will have hurt the offense. Meanwhile, the addition of Brian Flores to the defensive coaching staff should instantly provide the defense with some excellent NFL knowledge and experience, too!
There is no denying that the 2022 NFL season – and those that follow – are going to be different for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but with the depth that they have and with Tomlin still as the head coach, there is every chance that they will be alright without Roethlisberger moving forward.
What do yinz think? Are you excited for the upcoming preseason with the quarterback room looking slightly different than years past? Click to comment below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
As we all know, “Big Ben” has since decided to retire after a career that spanned 18 seasons in which he managed to lead the franchise to a total of three Super Bowl appearances and two victories in the NFL’s biggest game.
Although there will be many of us who will still be hoping that he will be performing his own Tom Brady U-turn on a decision that he probably regretted making too early, there does not seem to be any indication that No. 7 is about to do the same just yet.
The first season for the Steelers without Ben Roethlisberger in 19 years
The Steelers will head into their very first preseason in 19 years without Roethlisberger, and head coach Mike Tomlin will have a lot on his mind about what decision he needs to make in regards to moving the franchise forward and getting them to compete for the Super Bowl once again, as many Steeler fans would state it has been far too long since the team’s last appearance in the showpiece given that it was back in the 2010 NFL season.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sends his farewells at his final home game in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field. | ESPN
It should, though, be something that the organization has been preparing for as the eventuality that their legendary QB was to retire was always on the cards, especially as speculation continued to surround “Big Ben” throughout the final year of his playing career.
However, whilst it is something the Steelers know that they would need to do at some point, it does not make the task of doing so any easier.
Ben Roethlisberger’s departure will have a profound impact on the Steelers
While all of Steeler Nation will know what he had managed to achieve while on the field for the iconic NFL franchise, it is always worth pointing out the various feats that Roethlisberger had managed to do over the course of his near-two decade career. Naturally, there will be a new generation of Pittsburgh Steelers fans who may not have realized just how significant “Big Ben” was, although they would have likely been told by family and friends given the impact that the quarterback had on the organization.
Stats and records fit for a future first ballot Hall of Famer
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger celebrates winning the Lombardi Trophy in 2009. | Donald Miralle / Getty Images
So, what did he achieve? Well, to put it simply, he managed to achieve a lot!
In his NFL career, he was a 2× Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII), an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2004, a 6× Pro Bowler in 2007, 2011, and through 2014–2017, as well as a 2× NFL passing yards leader in 2014 and 2018, while being included in the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2004.
Additionally, he held numerous individual records including having the most career 500-yard passing games which consisted of a total of four, the most career-perfect passer rating games which stood at four, as well as the most completions in a regular or postseason game, totaling 47.
His overall statistics included 8,443 passing attempts, with a completion rate of 64.4% as he completed 5,440 of those that he threw. Perhaps most importantly, he threw for a total of 418 touchdowns with 64,088 total passing yards. Of course, he did also have 211 interceptions, but that is not bad at all given his ratio; which is reflected in his passer rating of 93.5.
Clearly, his departure from Heinz Field is going to have a profound impact on the Steelers as an organization and coach Tomlin is going to have his work cut out if they are to remain as impactful in the AFC and the NFL as a whole.
Indeed, there will be many that will have likely enjoyed placing sports wagers in the last couple of years in Pennsylvania on the team since it was made legal and the fact that the team is one that consistently puts together a winning season under the guidance of their coach.
However, those that are perhaps considering betting on Super Bowl LVII when it is scheduled to be played on February 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona might want to think long and hard about the chances that the Steelers have.
When it comes down to Vegas, it seems many are not fancying them at the moment, with it being predicted that Tomlin will have his first losing season in 15 years as the head coach. This will likely scare some bettors, although could the team’s preseason show that this is a fear that is perhaps not needed?
What should we expect from the upcoming NFL preseason from the Steelers?
Of course, the quarterback position is going to be the biggest issue for the Steelers moving forward towards the preseason, with it crucial that they get things right from the beginning to ensure they have a chance of reaching a Super Bowl for the first time since 2010.
It should be noted that there is some depth on the chart for the position, with the locker room currently containing Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins, and Mitchell Trubisky after he was acquired in free agency last month. Indeed, there is some promise there, although whether they have the time to make sure each of them is up to scratch could be a concern.
Rudolph is the most experienced with offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s playbook, however, he has only played in 17 games in the NFL, with 10 starts. His record, though, is 5-4-1 and has 16 TDs, although he does throw a number of interceptions (11). Haskins was on the roster towards the end of last season while Trubisky has only just arrived in Pittsburgh. Nonetheless, both of these individuals are experienced players and still have age on their side at 24 and 27 respectively. Again, the only issue will be learning the playbook and getting off to a quick start.
Outside of the QB position, though, the Steelers have been incredibly active in free agency with improvements being made to the offensive line and the defense, although the departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster to the Kansas City Chiefs will have hurt the offense. Meanwhile, the addition of Brian Flores to the defensive coaching staff should instantly provide the defense with some excellent NFL knowledge and experience, too!
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be alright
There is no denying that the 2022 NFL season – and those that follow – are going to be different for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but with the depth that they have and with Tomlin still as the head coach, there is every chance that they will be alright without Roethlisberger moving forward.
What do yinz think? Are you excited for the upcoming preseason with the quarterback room looking slightly different than years past? Click to comment below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
