polamalubeast
08-06-2015, 08:28 AM
On a sunny summer morning at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on Pittsburgh's South Side, we find wide receiver Markus Wheaton running a crossing route. He catches a dart from Ben Roethlisberger in an OTA practice. Despite the glowering defensive presence of James Harrison, Wheaton continues across the field.
The veteran linebacker, as solid and thick as an overpass support beam, has built a career out of making foolish receivers regret the day they first tried on a helmet. If this had been a game—or maybe even a training camp practice—the play would have concluded with Wheaton flat on his back, incapable of counting to three.
Afterward, Roethlisberger calls Wheaton over. Some quarterbacks might give their receiver a tip on how to avoid the linebacker or applaud him for bravery. Roethlisberger does something different. Quietly, he tells Wheaton to get down next time. He is not concerned about how many extra passing yards he might get if Wheaton stays on his feet. He is concerned about his receiver's well-being.
The small gesture escaped the notice of many—but not all. Veteran guard Ramon Foster overheard the exchange. He says it was one of the most impressive things he's ever heard a teammate say to another. Foster says it speaks to Roethlisberger's "devotion" to his teammates.
"It's not just him working on himself," Foster said. "He wants to help others be better."
The anecdote may surprise NFL fans who don't really know Roethlisberger and cling to a memory of him when he first came into the league.
"I'd be the first to admit I wasn't a good teammate early in my career," Roethlisberger said.
He's evolved into the opposite of a bad teammate—perhaps the league's best teammate.
When he came to Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger was given some well-meaning advice: "Don't get too close to your teammates. There is too much turnover in the NFL, and you'll be sorry when you lose your friends." And so he kept a distance.
He won the first 14 games he started as a rookie, then in his second season became the second-youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl. But behind the Steelers curtain, he couldn't figure out how to blend in on a veteran team. To the old guys who lorded over the locker room, he belonged near the bottom of the hierarchy with the other young guys. The quarterback who was getting all the glory saw his place as near the top of the hierarchy. The attitude soon led to a clash with big-dog wide receiver Hines Ward.
"There are some guys who had animosity towards me, and probably rightfully so," Roethlisberger said. "I probably could have helped that by being a humble guy who was the best teammate I could be."
read more
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2505720-how-ben-roethlisberger-grew-up-and-became-one-of-the-nfls-great-teammates
The veteran linebacker, as solid and thick as an overpass support beam, has built a career out of making foolish receivers regret the day they first tried on a helmet. If this had been a game—or maybe even a training camp practice—the play would have concluded with Wheaton flat on his back, incapable of counting to three.
Afterward, Roethlisberger calls Wheaton over. Some quarterbacks might give their receiver a tip on how to avoid the linebacker or applaud him for bravery. Roethlisberger does something different. Quietly, he tells Wheaton to get down next time. He is not concerned about how many extra passing yards he might get if Wheaton stays on his feet. He is concerned about his receiver's well-being.
The small gesture escaped the notice of many—but not all. Veteran guard Ramon Foster overheard the exchange. He says it was one of the most impressive things he's ever heard a teammate say to another. Foster says it speaks to Roethlisberger's "devotion" to his teammates.
"It's not just him working on himself," Foster said. "He wants to help others be better."
The anecdote may surprise NFL fans who don't really know Roethlisberger and cling to a memory of him when he first came into the league.
"I'd be the first to admit I wasn't a good teammate early in my career," Roethlisberger said.
He's evolved into the opposite of a bad teammate—perhaps the league's best teammate.
When he came to Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger was given some well-meaning advice: "Don't get too close to your teammates. There is too much turnover in the NFL, and you'll be sorry when you lose your friends." And so he kept a distance.
He won the first 14 games he started as a rookie, then in his second season became the second-youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl. But behind the Steelers curtain, he couldn't figure out how to blend in on a veteran team. To the old guys who lorded over the locker room, he belonged near the bottom of the hierarchy with the other young guys. The quarterback who was getting all the glory saw his place as near the top of the hierarchy. The attitude soon led to a clash with big-dog wide receiver Hines Ward.
"There are some guys who had animosity towards me, and probably rightfully so," Roethlisberger said. "I probably could have helped that by being a humble guy who was the best teammate I could be."
read more
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2505720-how-ben-roethlisberger-grew-up-and-became-one-of-the-nfls-great-teammates