Ben Ready For Added Duties
Jerome Bettis retired. Joey Porter plays for another team. And while there are a number of others with leadership qualities in the Steeler’s locker room, the dominant personalities are gone.
Bill Cowher resigned. A calendar year ago, he was the longest-tenured coach in the NFL going on 15 seasons, but with a new house in Raleigh, N.C. and a Super Bowl ring on his finger, Cowher decided to resign after the 2006 season. The arrival of a new coach, usually is accompanied by a similarly new staff of assistants. In the case of Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, it might only have triggered a reformulation, but the changed did include the departures of three key offensive assistants: Russ Grimm, Ken Whisenhunt, and Dick Hoak.
Ben Roethlisberger is about to begin his fourth season in the National Football League, and for all intents and purposes, all of them as the Steelers’ starting quarterback. Still only 25, Roethlisberger nonetheless already has a wealth of experience.
He started 13 regular season games as a rookie and won them all only to start playing like a rookie for the first time when the playoffs began. The next season, he was the one who carried his team through the playoffs, through three road games against the conference’s top three seeds at that. Thus he would become the youngest to quarterback his team to a Super Bowl Champioinship, and then live through the ordeal of trying to defend such a title earlier in life than anyone else as well.
This is Ben Roethlisberger’s time. His time to take the next step in a career that has been magnificent already.
The position he plays and the way he has played it for them – 17 of 22 starters during that run through the 2005 playoffs are still on the team – give him the credibility, plus the retirements, resignations, etc. of some significant players and coaches gives him the opening. This is his time, and Ben Roethlisberger is looking forward to it.
Tomlin agreed with offensive coordinator Bruce Arians that it was time to allow Roethlisberger more control on the field in terms of protections and adjustments to those, because when the coaches studied 2006 they came to the conclusion that too many of the 46 sacks he took and the 23 interceptions he threw came from confusion over protections and adjustments.
"The things that concerned me from last season were the turnovers and just a lack of being on the same page in pass protection," said Arians. "I’m talking about everyone being part of the problem – our receivers, our quarterback, our running backs and our offensive line. Basically our whole package, there were too many times when we weren’t in sync. So we’re simplifying that and making Ben the guy who makes the adjustments himself. It’s time to let him direct the show. He’s ready for that."
As the first training camp of the Mike Tomlin era is about to begin, Ben Roethlisberger talked with assistant editor Teresa Varley on a variety of topics.
Q: When you look back at the 2006 season, what things will remain most prominent in your mind?
Ben: Just how close we were. There were certain games, certain things happening and certain plays. It was just how close it was.
Q: Does winning the Super Bowl now seem like so long ago or very recent?
Ben: Some days it seems like it was just the other day, and some days it sems like it was so long ago. It is still a great memorty to have. But it is something that is a memory. It has to be in the back of our mind and something we need to be hungry for.
Q: You had to overcome so many obstacles last season, from the motorcycle accident, the appendectomy to the concussion early in the season. Which was the most imposing?
Ben: It was getting back and earning the trust and confidence of my guys again. Letting them know that I was OK, and I was going to go out and fight for them. I just wanted them to know I was going to be there for them no matter what it was.
Q: When you were going through those things, how did it work in terms of getting back onto the field?
Ben: Coach Cowher always came to me and asked me how I felt, and I was always 100 percent honest with him. I was always honest with the doctors. Everybody knows that Pittsburgh has some of the best doctors in the country. We have an unbelievable medical staff. They cleared me, and if they gave me clearance, I don’t think anything was rushed.
Q: How would you assess where you are right now as an NFL quarterback?
Ben: Improving. I am still trying to get better every day. I feel that things are getting better. I feel I am becoming more of a leader and a better quarterback with every passing day.
Q: You have said that Dan Marino and Jim Kelly helped you put last season in perspective. Could you relate that again?
Ben: Playing some folf and spending some time with them during the offseason they laughed and were like, 'isn't it amazing that you have one bad year and everybody is down on you?'. I said, ' Yeah, it's pretty funny.' They said, 'Listen, you're going to have more than one bad year. Don't let it bother you. You'll be fine." It feels good when players that tell you it's going to be okay.
Q: Much has been said and written about your relationship with Bill Cowher. How would you characterize that relationship?
Ben: It was such an honor to play for Coach Cowher. He is a Hall of Fame coach. It was an honor.
Q: What will you remember most about Coach Cowher?
Ben: The tenacity, intensity and fire that he brought to the field, locker room and practice.
Q: Now you have a new head coach. Will it take much time for both of you to reach a comfort level with one another?
Ben: I feel very comfortable already. I think everybody feels real comfortable with Coach Tomlin and the way he interacts with us and the way he treats us. I think myself and everyone is really getting along well with him.
Q: When you look at this roster, do you still see the pieces in place to win another Super Bowl?
Ben: Absolutely. I feel we have a lot of potentional on both sides of the ball and in special teams. It's jut a matter of us going out there and putting it all together.
Q: You are entering your fourth season in the league, but you've experienced so much. How much better can you get?
Ben: I am always going to continue to grow. I am always toing to try and get better. I will never be satisfied with where I am . I am going to keep pushing and striving to be the best.
Q: If there is one message you would live to convey to Steelers fans everywhere about the team and Ben Roethlisberger, what would it be?
Ben: Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.
Q: How many Super Bowls do you plan on winning before you are through?
Ben: I would like to win five. Honestly, I would like to win one more than the last quarterback who was here who won them.
Q: How well do you think the offense will fare this season?
Ben: It's one of those things, and I don't want to say it's going to be real good or real bad, not say feast or famine. I really think we are going to be unbelievably great or we'll just be good. I don't believe we will be bad because we have too many great athletes on the line, at receiver, running back and tight ends. I think if everyone puts in the work, and I play the part that I am supposed to play and not turn the ball over, and just play smart football, I think we can be pretty doggone good on offense.
Q: How much learning has been involved with the change in coordinators?
Ben: It's almost like being a rookie again, but still knowing some things. It's helped that some of the stuff has still remained, but all the new stuff come in. We still get confused. There are still going to be a lot of questions to be asked. We just have to out there every day and and just try to keep learning and getting better.
Q: How will Bruce Arians' offense look different to the fans than Ken Whisenhunt's?
Ben: I think it will look a lot different. I think fans will be pleasantly surprised. We are still going to pound the ball. We are going to run it. But you are going to see some of the spread too. You're going to see some multiple tight-end formations. I think it's going to be good because we are going to utilize our wide receivers. We have some great athletes just sitting out there blocking. They will still do that, but I think we need to utilize them in the vertical passing game.
Q: Will there be any adjustments you personally will have to make because there will be a different starting center?
Ben: There will be a little bit of an adjustment. Jeff [Harting] was a great center. I think we had one fumbled snap and that was because of a mis-communication. Jeff and I were very comfortable with the center-quarterback exchange. It's something you have to get familiar with. I have taken snaps with all of tte guys competing for the job. I am just trying to get used to them. You have to your hands in different places with different guys. It's just something to get used to. Everybody, if you will, has a different butt.
*Thank you to Jan for sending me the article and for typing up the majority of it for me!