Former Steelers RB Accuses Roethlisberger Of Fumbling On Purpose In 2014 Game

[hawaiiansteeler]

Former Steelers RB Accuses Roethlisberger Of Fumbling On Purpose In 2014 Game

By Dave Bryan
Posted on March 10, 2019

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has had quite a few teammates during his 15 NFL seasons and a few offensive coordinators as well. Asking any former teammate of Roethlisberger’s what they really think about the quarterback might just get one an answer not necessarily expected. Some former teammates of Roethlisberger’s also don’t seem to need much provoking when it comes to sharing their true thoughts about the Steelers quarterback and that was evidenced within the last 12 hours.

Sunday morning, and not too long after it was first reported that the Steelers had traded wide receiver Antonio Brown to the Oakland Raiders, apparently one Twitter user took to the social media platform to give his thoughts on what he believes is the main problem in Pittsburgh, and that it’s Roethlisbefger.

Replying to that anti Roethlisberger tweet not long after it was posted was former NFL running back Josh Harris, who spent the last several games of the 2014 regular season on the Steelers active 53-man roster following the team’s release of fellow running back LeGarrette Blount. Harris tweeted that Roethlisberger once purposely fumbled late in the Steelers 2014 Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals because he didn’t like then-offensive coordinator Todd Haley calling a running play instead of a kneel-down. You can see Harris’ full accusation below along with the original tweet he responded to below.

to read rest of article:

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/03/fo...-in-2014-game/

[lipps83]

Wouldn't surprise me. This guy is an entitled douchebag. How many former players need to speak up that this guy is probably the poorest leader at the QB position in the league?

Yet, he is good at throwing a ball around so they keep him around for some stupid reason. Oh yeah, to win ball games.

Priorities....

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Wouldn't surprise me. This guy is an entitled douchebag. How many former players need to speak up that this guy is probably the poorest leader at the QB position in the league?

Yet, he is good at throwing a ball around so they keep him around for some stupid reason. Oh yeah, to win ball games.

Priorities....

I wonder what the comments were on the weekly radio show? Wonder if Will Johnson got called out for not hanging onto the football?

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Wouldn't surprise me. This guy is an entitled douchebag. How many former players need to speak up that this guy is probably the poorest leader at the QB position in the league?

Yet, he is good at throwing a ball around so they keep him around for some stupid reason. Oh yeah, to win ball games.

Priorities....

I think when Ben does retire there is going to be many stories like this one mentioned. When others will not be afraid to be silent no longer.

[lipps83]

I think when Ben does retire there is going to be many stories like this one mentioned. When others will not be afraid to be silent no longer.

Ben Roethlisberger, football hero. Can't do no wrong in public opinion because he is good at throwing a ball.

Pouncey likes him and doesn't want to play when Ben hangs them up. He liked Aaron Hernandez too, said he was a good guy. Thug life 4eva.

Big Ben, Pouncey and Aaron Hernandez (if he were still alive) are three people I know I would never invite over for dinner.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Ben Roethlisberger, football hero. Can't do no wrong in public opinion because he is good at throwing a ball.

Pouncey likes him and doesn't want to play when Ben hangs them up. He liked Aaron Hernandez too, said he was a good guy. Thug life 4eva.

Big Ben, Pouncey and Aaron Hernandez (if he were still alive) are three people I know I would never invite over for dinner.

I honestly believe Ben Is running the org. Ahole AB wasn't far of the mark about his comments about Ben. I also will believe this will come out from many after he retires. Will be some fun books to read.

[Dwinsgames]

People hated Bradshaw too ... it must be a Pittsburgh thing ... win Lombardi's and they talk shit on you

[Hound]

Funny, the Bus says he is a great guy and a stand up guy. The obscure RB who eventually got cut, who spent hardly any time on the team questions his character. I don’t know the man or his beliefs. Wonder who’s opinion should I listen to?

[pczach]

Funny, the Bus says he is a great guy and a stand up guy. The obscure RB who eventually got cut, who spent hardly any time on the team questions his character. I don’t know the man or his beliefs. Wonder who’s opinion should I listen to?

People are going to believe whatever fits their own narrative on Big Ben. Those who don't like him are going to believe every bad thing they hear about him....regardless of the source.

Those that like him and believe there is good inside of him are going to dismiss almost all of it as nonsense.

Such is the nature of things.

In this situation, I just see a bitter former player that literally made up an opinion in his head because he wants to support Antonio Brown.

Who knows what is true and what isn't with all the stories we hear?.....But I don't buy what Josh Harris is selling.

[Hound]

Ben by far is no saint, and has had enough smoke around him to make you wonder about his character at times. What Harris is trying to sell seems like a stretch.

[vasteeler]

Horse shit.

[teegre]

Did Josh Harris give this quote during his coffee break or during his lunch break? The “higher ups” at 7-11 want clarification.

I joke. It’s obvioisly just one of Harris’s documented ‘roid rages.

[EzraTank]

People are going to believe whatever fits their own narrative on Big Ben. Those who don't like him are going to believe every bad thing they hear about him....regardless of the source.

Those that like him and believe there is good inside of him are going to dismiss almost all of it as nonsense.

Such is the nature of things.

In this situation, I just see a bitter former player that literally made up an opinion in his head because he wants to support Antonio Brown.

Who knows what is true and what isn't with all the stories we hear?.....But I don't buy what Josh Harris is selling.

Sounds just like our President.

[Hound]

Re: Former Steelers RB Accuses Roethlisberger Of Fumbling On Purpose In 2014 Game

Did Josh Harris give this quote during his coffee break or during his lunch break? The “higher ups” at 7-11 want clarification.

I joke. It’s obvioisly just one of Harris’s documented ‘roid rages
Teegre, my man!

[Born2Steel]

This is hilarious to read. I guess since Bell and AB aren’t around anymore it’s Ben’s turn. I got some news for you guys, MOST successful people, the level of HoF success, are assholes. MOST are extremely self absorbed and only give a damn about how it effects them. I don’t know any of these guys personally so I can’t say either way. Football teams are about winning football games. Assholes welcome if they are good at football.

[Fire Goodell]

who?

[AtlantaDan]

This is hilarious to read. I guess since Bell and AB aren’t around anymore it’s Ben’s turn. I got some news for you guys, MOST successful people, the level of HoF success, are assholes. MOST are extremely self absorbed and only give a damn about how it effects them. I don’t know any of these guys personally so I can’t say either way. Football teams are about winning football games. Assholes welcome if they are good at football.

Whoever gave this quote to Peter King for his column this morning on AB getting his new deal agrees

But as one team executive told me Sunday, “The best players, even the a——, always have a market.”

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...?cid=nbcsports

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

He does try to hand off the football to a FB that is blocking on a FB lead and not try to hand it off to the tailback in I formation. Its a mistake that kids might make in Pop Warner football, not the NFL. Seems like a plausible accusation based upon the video of the play shown.

If you run a designed dive to the FB, its common to have the tailback run laterally to the off side of the handoff, in order to freeze the ILB from reacting to the dive. That play doesn't look like a designed FB dive.

- - - Updated - - -

This is hilarious to read. I guess since Bell and AB aren’t around anymore it’s Ben’s turn. I got some news for you guys, MOST successful people, the level of HoF success, are assholes. MOST are extremely self absorbed and only give a damn about how it effects them. I don’t know any of these guys personally so I can’t say either way. Football teams are about winning football games. Assholes welcome if they are good at football.

So it looks like you are implying that Ben is an A-hole? That wont play well with some here on this board.

[FrancoLambert]

People hated Bradshaw too ... it must be a Pittsburgh thing ... win Lombardi's and they talk shit on you

Both “hated,” but for different reasons.
Terry because of his delicate ego, inconsistency, and not getting it together quickly.
I don’t recall him ever calling out teammates in the media.
If he did, Joe Greene would have put an end to that very quickly.

Ben because of his problems off the field and his penchant for calling out teammates in public.
Nobody on this team can challenge Ben so they keep their mouths shut...until they retire or move on.

[vasteeler]

No wonder Bradshaw stayed away...some of you so called Steeler fans suck.

[AtlantaDan]

No wonder Bradshaw stayed away...some of you so called Steeler fans suck.

Consider the possibility some Steelers fans suck but that Bradshaw’s estrangement from the organization and city is because he is a jackass.

“He’s the most insincere person I’ve ever known,” [former Steelers PR director] Joe Gordon said.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014...to-chuck-noll/

[fansince'76]

Both “hated,” but for different reasons.
Terry because of his delicate ego, inconsistency, and not getting it together quickly.
I don’t recall him ever calling out teammates in the media.
If he did, Joe Greene would have put an end to that very quickly.

Ben because of his problems off the field and his penchant for calling out teammates in public.
Nobody on this team can challenge Ben so they keep their mouths shut...until they retire or move on.

Completely different era. There was no Twitter, no 24-hour news cycle, there weren't 30-or-so cable sports networks constantly fishing for soundbites or an entire cottage industry of sports "journalists" parsing every single thing a guy says to the nth degree, etc., etc.

Roethlisberger is under a MUCH larger microscope than Bradshaw ever dreamt of being.

[zulater]

I saw the play. Laughable that people believe he fumbled on purpose on the word of a guy who once had a cup of coffee on the team.

- - - Updated - - -

I hear Ben spits widows and orphans for his offseason entertainment! True story!

[vasteeler]

Consider the possibility some Steelers fans suck but that Bradshaw’s estrangement from the organization and city is because he is a jackass.

“He’s the most insincere person I’ve ever known,” [former Steelers PR director] Joe Gordon said.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014...to-chuck-noll/

I'd be a fool not to acknowledge Bradshaws role but I have personally heard both of them booed in our stadiums. For all that both of them have done for the Steelers I find it quite offensive.

[fansince'76]

I saw the play. Laughable that people believe he fumbled on purpose on the word of a guy who once had a cup of coffee on the team.

- - - Updated - - -

I hear Ben spits widows and orphans for his offseason entertainment! True story!

Careful, or you might be called a Ben "cheerleader."

[AtlantaDan]

I'd be a fool not to acknowledge Bradshaws roll but I have personally heard both of them booed in our stadiums. For all that both of them have done for the Steelers I find it quite offensive.

I am not offended by professional athletes being booed when they screw up repeatedly (e.g., Ben throwing 5 picks against the Jags) - it's not church and they are not war heroes.

Having been around at the time, a lot of the Bradshaw booing was before they won anything and he locked down the starting QB job in late 1974 - as Dwight White said in the 1975 America's Game, Bradshaw often was terrible in the pre-Super Bowl seasons. And he was justified for being pissed off when there was cheering at TRS when he separated his shoulder and left the game against the Bengals in October 1973.

But his issues go a lot deeper than being upset at being booed if his portrayal in Their Life's Work by Gary Pomerantz is to be believed.

Getting back to the latest Ben atrocity, with twitter everyone has a megaphone so if some rando like Josh Harris throws something out and it fits a narrative for some detractors it is going to get some traction

[Craic]

Three topics; one thread.

Topic 1: Did he fumble on purpose: On the yes said: score, field position, and time on clock all point to there being little repercussion if the Bungles fall on the ball. Handing the ball to the FB doesn't make sense either, not at a NFL level. Finally, his flop was pretty horrible. On the no side: there's only a 10 point difference, which means while it's likely there's no repercussion to fumbling, it's not guaranteed. And, they needed that win for home field advantage the very next week in the playoffs. So, did he do it on purpose? Only he really knows. But, I think Ben's a bit too competitive to risk a season like that. On the other hand, if you want a coach gone, having his call blow up and you losing home field advantage is a way of doing it.

Topic 2: Pittsburgh and QBs: This fanbase is great about a great many things. However, they do turn on their QBs faster than a Ford Pinto can transform into a ball of fire. As I've stated here before, I remember in 2007 flying to a Steelers game and listening to someone saying they just weren't sure about Ben and how he hadn't proven himself yet. As a reminder, this was after his SB victory and then playing the next season several weeks after his motorcycle crash and just a few weeks after an emergency appendectomy, and almost leading that team into the playoffs after a horrible start.

Topic 3: No-name RB making waves. No way he can know what Ben was thinking. There's plenty of bigger ex-steelers out there with little love for Ben who could speak to this possibility. None have. I'm pretty sure AB would speak up at this point if this were true, for instance. NNRB should be happy he could cash in a couple of game checks and be done with it.

[teegre]

Topic 2: Pittsburgh and QBs: This fanbase is great about a great many things. However, they do turn on their QBs faster than a Ford Pinto can transform into a ball of fire.

[Hawkman]

Cowterd actually had Josh Harris on his show today. A guy who played less than one season for the Steelers, what five years ago? Something we all knew a week ago? So because the Bell/Brown thing is done, the talking heads have to find something else to S#&T on the Steelers about. Even Dan Patrick felt the need to bring it up. No one ever questioned the source.

[st33lersguy]

Guy just wanted his 15 minutes of fame