Ben Roethlisberger Looks Back with Bill Cowher on Career, Legacy
Before his potential final game as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Ravens on Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger sat down with his former head coach Bill Cowher for a look back on his Hall to Fame career.
Cowher first asked Roethlisberger about his emotions playing his last game at Heinz Field on last Monday night, a 26-14 over the Cleveland Browns.
“That’s the hardest thing to put it into words,” Roethlisberger said. “How special that night was. How special they are to me. If I tried to put it into words, I would say ‘I love you.’ I would say ‘thank you.’ I feel so blessed. It’s just an honor for them to call me their quarterback for 18 years.”
The duo recounted their victory in Super Bowl XL, and how they may not have reached that summit without Roethlisberger’s shoe string tackle on Jerome Bettis’ fumble against the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round.
“It literally was slow motion,” Roethlisberger said of the season-saving tackle. “That ball pops out and it bounces. And the first thought was it’s now or never. Just make an effort, try and slow him down, do what you can … During that moment it’s like, this cannot happen to Jerome. He’s to special to all of us. I mean, could you imagine if they would have went and won that game and that was Jerome’s last play?”
Roethlisberger also thanked Cowher, who coached him for the first three seasons of his career.
“I am so thankful and appreciative of the way that you coached me and all the things you taught me,” Roethlisberger said. “The way you led me and us. You got what you needed and deserved, which was a Super Bowl and ultimately a gold jacket. And so, I couldn’t be more proud of the coach that you are and will also be to me and everybody here. You’ll always be Pittsburgh’s coach. I know it.”
As for his legacy, Roethlisberger wants fans to remember that he never gave up.
“I just want people to know that I gave it everything I had,” Roethlisberger said. “I bleed Black and Gold, and I always will. I left it all out there for my fans, for the fans, for my teammates, for the coaches, for everyone out there. And I just want people to know and appreciate that I was pretty darn tough most of the time.”
Roethlisberger will go down as Pittsburgh’s franchise leader in wins, touchdown passes, passing yards and completions.
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