Ben - “I’ve earned the right” to criticize teammates

[AtlantaDan]

Radio Ben tore into AB, Washington and Fichtner for the 3rd down call that resulted in the INT on his weekly free association seminar yesterday

Ben doubles down today and says he is the captain so deal with it

“Being around for a long time and dealing with a lot of different players you have to know how to motivate different guys in different ways,” Roethlisberger said. “I think that’s part of being a leader, being a captain, just understanding players. Sometimes you just grab them off to the side and sometimes you have to be honest with them. I think I’ve earned the right to be able to do that with as long as I’ve been here. I’ll be just as critical on myself in front of you guys, as well.”

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/201811280126

Ben knows the window is closing and is going to be calling out anyone who screws up (including coaches )

[86WARD]

Again...if you have a QB that’s not calling people out, he shouldn’t be an NFL QB. Just like AB should be me, me, me and just like JuJu should be me, me, me, Ben should be calling people out for not being in the right places...just like he takes the blame when it’s on him.

Non-story.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Ben doesn't throw INT's. Ben's OC and WR's make INT's happen.

[AtlantaDan]

Again...if you have a QB that’s not calling people out, he shouldn’t be an NFL QB. Just like AB should be me, me, me and just like JuJu should be me, me, me, Ben should be calling people out for not being in the right places...just like he takes the blame when it’s on him.

Non-story.

Not every non-journeyman QB (I have followed Matt Ryan for 11 years now in Atlanta and he does not regularly do it) does it to the extent Ben does

It is paywalled but Mark Kaboly had a good article this week in The Athletic on how Ben’s radio show/therapy session is not the usual QB pablum (apparently Coach Todd used to tune in to hear if Ben ripped him)

Ben Roethlisberger's radio show has turned into a must-listen because he's 'not afraid to say things'
https://theathletic.com/608515/2018/...ult-following/

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Not every non-journeyman QB (I have followed Matt Ryan for 11 years now in Atlanta and he does not regularly do it) does it to the extent Ben does
/

Interesting, you mean guys like Brady, Brees, Wilson, Rodgers, Rivers, Manning, Ryan, Stafford, Cousins don't call out their teammates in public on a weekly basis?? Maybe the young guys like Wentz, Goff, Mahomes, Trubisky, Rosen, Mayfield, Allen will be a new generation that starts doing it more frequently.

[AtlantaDan]

Interesting, you mean guys like Brady, Brees, Wilson, Rodgers, Rivers, Manning, Ryan, Stafford, Cousins don't call out their teammates in public on a weekly basis?? Maybe the young guys like Wentz, Goff, Mahomes, Trubisky, Rosen, Mayfield, Allen will be a new generation that starts doing it more frequently.

I said “not every” not “most” and gave an example of someone I actually follow

And I used Ryan as an example

I do not follow the entire league - maybe you do and are correct everyone you cited other than Ryan (I know Rivers, Brady & Rodgers do - Rodgers calls out his head coach) do it as often as Ben does

[st33lersguy]

Technically everyone on the team has the right to criticize any teammate they please. A WR on the practice squad has the right to call Ben a garbage QB and call Tomlin a head coach. Doesn't mean it's a good idea or good for the team

[DesertSteel]

How many Bens are there???

Clutch Ben
Drama Ben
Injured Ben
Fake injury Ben
Pick Throwing Ben
Super Bowl Ben
Radio Ben
College Girls Ben

We'll miss them all when he becomes Retired Ben (may not that last one)...

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Technically everyone on the team has the right to criticize any teammate they please. A WR on the practice squad has the right to call Ben a garbage QB and call Tomlin a head coach. Doesn't mean it's a good idea or good for the team

So are you saying that Ben is incorrect, that he hasn't "earned" the right to criticize teammates and OC in public, but rather he is "entitled" to that right, as is anybody similarly entitled to criticize?

If that is the case, then I will criticize Ben for not throwing that 3rd down pass into the 5th row behind the end zone, rather than into the arms of a defensive lineman. I'm entitled to that right.

[DesertSteel]

I have been on Steelers forums for 15 years and I feel like I have earned the right to criticize Ben, Tomlin, AB, et al. Those of you with fewer posts under your belt need to pipe down.

[Shoes]

Well lets hope Ben calls out more than rookie Washington.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

How many Bens are there???

Clutch Ben
Drama Ben
Injured Ben
Fake injury Ben
Pick Throwing Ben
Super Bowl Ben
Radio Ben
College Girls Ben

We'll miss them all when he becomes Retired Ben (may not that last one)...

Ya know, I got my young son a #7 jersey when Ben was drafted and my kid is now 17 years old. I have enjoyed what comes to the Steelers with having a top talented QB over that time, but I now realize that the real likelihood of winning another SB with Ben is pretty slim.

For a few years now, Ben has had the top WR and top RB in football with him, plus pro bowl caliber Offensive Linemen in front of him. Every year the great hope of offensive production, or 30 points a game has been talked about every training camp and the reality is that the last 3 trips to the Super Bowl for the Steelers were with the likes of Polamalu, Harrison, Taylor, Keisel, Farrior, Hampton, etc on the team.

Clutch Ben is entertaining to watch, but without having a few defensive pro bowl players on the Steelers team, Drama Ben, Radio Ben, Injured Ben is gonna help the team get to a wildcard game, maybe the next round and that is it. Because that is when Pick Throwing Ben will show up and start us on our next cycle of looking towards the draft. I think the sound that I heard isn't Radio Ben, but the window closing shut on his chance to win another Super Bowl.

[Mojouw]

This is quickly circling the drain...gotta love armchair psychology to interpret sports results. I'm starting to think the team isn't really that "dramatic" but the fans certainly are.

Maybe you all need to talk it out with someone...really access those feelings...

[AtlantaDan]

This is quickly circling the drain...gotta love armchair psychology to interpret sports results. I'm starting to think the team isn't really that "dramatic" but the fans certainly are.

Maybe you all need to talk it out with someone...really access those feelings...

The easy way to stop it would be for the QB to shut down his Tuesday morning free association binges - certainly gives the Steelers reporters story lines

With the Bell saga being over (#26 apparently now is flirting with the Colts - let fans of other teams deal with that) and AB having calmed down since earlier in the season the one stirring the pot is Ben

[DesertSteel]

I'm starting to think the team isn't really that "dramatic" but the fans certainly are.

Just give us a radio show and sit back!!

[st33lersguy]

So are you saying that Ben is incorrect, that he hasn't "earned" the right to criticize teammates and OC in public, but rather he is "entitled" to that right, as is anybody similarly entitled to criticize?

If that is the case, then I will criticize Ben for not throwing that 3rd down pass into the 5th row behind the end zone, rather than into the arms of a defensive lineman. I'm entitled to that right.

People are free to say whatever they want, they are just not free from the negative consequences/negative reactions from others.

Of course it would probably have been better if Ben chose to just address it with Washington directly and not broadcast his criticism to the media (something I wish was practiced more frequently on the team)

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

the one stirring the pot is Ben

...and that is why I don't think he is going to win another Super Bowl in his career.

He is sitting back and trying to push along his team with peanut gallery criticism from a radio show, rather than leading from the front and bringing them along. I honestly think that the Super Bowl winning days were there with vocal leaders like Farrior, Porter, Bettis, while guys like Faneca, Marvel Smith, Heath Miller, Troy, James Harrison lead by example.

The current Steelers have deferred leadership to Ben and I don't know that enough players respect him enough to follow.

[fansince'76]

For a few years now, Ben has had the top WR and top RB in football with him, plus pro bowl caliber Offensive Linemen in front of him.

Really? How many times was Bell available in the postseason? So it's now Ben's fault that a 4th-string RB coughs up the ball in a divisional round game on the road when the offense is driving to ice the game?

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Really? How many times was Bell available in the postseason? So it's now Ben's fault that a 4th-string RB coughs up the ball in a divisional round game on the road when the offense is driving to ice the game?

Really? You are going to say the fault of the loss is on a 4th string RB that scored the only TD in a 23-16 playoff game Boswell kicked 3FG's that day, Fitzgerald Toussaint scored 1 rushing TD that day and Ben threw 0 TD passes.

I think Steeler fans have been expecting their biggest stars to step up in the moment, but when they don't step up, its still easier to find somebody less significant to point to than their biggest stars when its time to blame.

[Shoes]

It's a shame Haley was fired before Ben earned this right to call people out, that would have been entertaining!

https://twitter.com/dejan_kovacevic/...06866020757504

[fansince'76]

Really? You are going to say the fault of the loss is on a 4th string RB that scored the only TD in a 23-16 playoff game Boswell kicked 3FG's that day, Fitzgerald Toussaint scored 1 rushing TD that day and Ben threw 0 TD passes.

I think Steeler fans have been expecting their biggest stars to step up in the moment, but when they don't step up, its still easier to find somebody less significant to point to than their biggest stars when its time to blame.

Bottom line: Steelers had the lead with the offense driving, Toussaint coughed it up, the Broncos then took the lead and won the game. Oh yeah, AB was absent for that game as well thanks to Burfict almost decapitating him the week before (one more reason I'd like to avoid the WC round).

So our starting skill players that day were Roethlisberger, Touissant, Bongtavis, Wheaton, Spaeth and Heath Miller.

Fun fact: Peyton Manning had zero TD passes that game as well (and a QB rating that was 20 points lower for the game than Roethlisberger's).

I think Steeler fans have been expecting their biggest stars to step up in the moment, but when they don't step up, its still easier to find somebody less significant to point to than their biggest stars when its time to blame.

Sounds awfully familiar...

Outside of Rodgers, Jones and Adams, the rest of the team is hot garbage including the coaching staff.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Bottom line: Steelers had the lead with the offense driving, Toussaint coughed it up, the Broncos then took the lead and won the game. Oh yeah, AB was absent for that game as well thanks to Burfict almost decapitating him the week before (one more reason I'd like to avoid the WC round).

So our starting skill players that day were Roethlisberger, Touissant, Bongtavis, Wheaton, Spaeth and Heath Miller.

Fun fact: Peyton Manning had zero TD passes that game as well (and a QB rating that was 20 points lower for the game than Roethlisberger's).

OK, so just like 2016, again Ben Roethlisberger is considered to be one of the great QB's in the NFL this season. He is again putting up good stats on the whole(except his league leading INT numbers). But when the team that he is the alleged leader of, seems to falter, he goes on his radio show and criticizes his OC, teammates, and anybody else he can think of.

Sadly, he isn't the kind of leader that everybody is going to follow. The Steelers miss guys with the leadership qualities of Ward, Bettis, Farrior, Porter and will likely not win another Lombardi this season due to that lack of leadership.

[fansince'76]

OK, so just like 2016, again Ben Roethlisberger is considered to be one of the great QB's in the NFL this season. He is again putting up good stats on the whole(except his league leading INT numbers). But when the team that he is the alleged leader of, seems to falter, he goes on his radio show and criticizes his OC, teammates, and anybody else he can think of.

Sadly, he isn't the kind of leader that everybody is going to follow. The Steelers miss guys with the leadership qualities of Ward, Bettis, Farrior, Porter and will likely not win another Lombardi this season due to that lack of leadership.

Perhaps if Ben started questioning other players' manhood on national TV when they "tap out" due to a self-reported concussion...

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Perhaps if Ben started questioning other players' manhood on national TV when they "tap out" due to a self-reported concussion...

You can keep deflecting the topic, picking at comments, but the reality of the situation is that teammates responded to the leadership of guys like Ward, Bettis, Farrior, Porter...much better than Ben.

If you want to be specific about the concussion issue that you refer to, Ward actually apologized to his team publicly for creating a distraction by his comments. He didn't stand in front of his locker and state that he has "earned the right" to his comments.

Ward apologizes to Steelers

Ward had already apologized to Roethlisberger on Monday. Ward wasn't aware a team doctor had advised the quarterback not to play because of post-concussion headaches that followed each of the team's three practices last week.

Roethlisberger hasn't reported any headaches since Friday and practiced Wednesday for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders (3-8).Ward is disappointed he spoke out of frustration in an NBC-TV interview taped Saturday night, not long after learning Roethlisberger wouldn't play in an important game for last season's Super Bowl champions."In hindsight, we're never going to jeopardize a man's health issues to play a game," Ward said Wednesday. "A lot of people forget, Ben came from a motorcycle incident [in 2006] and still had a lot of head trauma, so we don't want to ... push him to play a game. I wasn't trying to really not be concerned about his head injury. We were just frustrated we didn't have our starting quarterback."http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4707191

[AtlantaDan]

...and that is why I don't think he is going to win another Super Bowl in his career.

He is sitting back and trying to push along his team with peanut gallery criticism from a radio show, rather than leading from the front and bringing them along. I honestly think that the Super Bowl winning days were there with vocal leaders like Farrior, Porter, Bettis, while guys like Faneca, Marvel Smith, Heath Miller, Troy, James Harrison lead by example.

The current Steelers have deferred leadership to Ben and I don't know that enough players respect him enough to follow.

IMO members of the OL (DeCastro, Pouncey, Foster) and Heyward are leaders within the locker room who probably are not tuned out

Radio Ben is the QB in the role of “starring Ben Roethliberger as the Leader”

Radio Ben calling out AB for acting out on the sidelines or running a sloppy route might actually be a way to get AB to straighten up by embarrassing him - and saying the last series should have been 4 passes to JuJu might be a way to stroke JuJu’s ego (although doing little for Ben’s allegedly beloved OL or Conner’s shaky confidence)

But I agree a public shaming of Washington serves no purpose

Of course maybe it is just Ben having reached the stage of his career where he enjoys trolling to see what the reaction is (such as Radio Ben pondering retirement)

[stillers4me]

- - - Updated - - -

[fansince'76]

You can keep deflecting the topic, picking at comments, but the reality of the situation is that teammates responded to the leadership of guys like Ward, Bettis, Farrior, Porter...much better than Ben.

Yeah, I can tell by the way DeCastro, Pouncey, et al. jump to his defense on the field...



If he was the insufferable prick you make him out to be, I doubt that happens.

[Shoes]

Ben's problem has been saying things publicly that should remain private, between him and his teammates.

[fansince'76]

Of course maybe it is just Ben having reached the stage of his career where he enjoys trolling to see what the reaction is (such as Radio Ben pondering retirement)

I've been saying this for YEARS now.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Yeah, I can tell by the way DeCastro, Pouncey, et al. jump to his defense on the field...



If he was the insufferable prick you make him out to be, I doubt that happens.

And where did I use the term "insufferable prick"? Keep deflecting the topic and manufacturing words if that is what makes you feel better.

This is about time for a Teegre summation...:

Ben as a football player: Hall of Fame career. Lots of TD's, but lots of bonehead throws that ended up in INT's. Kind of like Favre, without the country bumpkin persona.
Ben as a leader : Better to leave leadership to somebody else. Self-centered attitude and willingness to air out your thoughts in public, instead of talking to men face to face.