Freiermuth, Roethlisberger on Game-Winning Drive: Bears Gave Steelers ‘Too Much Time’

Nick Farabaugh |

Updated: Nov 9, 2021

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger has been the guy who leads game-winning drives more often than not in his long NFL career. In fact, his game-winning drive against the Bears was the 50th such drive of his career. With such a veteran under center, it breeds confidence throughout the team.

Especially when the Steelers are so young and unpolished around the edges, that confidence and composure can spread throughout the team like wildfire. It seems it did tonight, as rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth knew there was no reason to worry.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Freiermuth said. “Ben has been doing this a long time. We were all confident in each other. I was thinking in my mind, it’s too much time. It was awesome.”

The quarterback himself, Roethlisberger, felt much of the same way as the young tight end did. In fact, it seemed that Roethlisberger was so confident that the team fed off that energy.

“I just felt like they gave me too much time,” Roethlisberger said. “I felt like we could go and we got, in my opinion, one of the best kickers in the league. I wasn’t thinking about a touchdown, just thinking about getting us in field goal range.”

The Steelers, however, still have work to do. With a young team going through the maturation process, this win in this manner can showcase character. It is that growth that Freiermuth hopes the team can learn from this game and grow throughout the regular season.

“I think back to last week, too,” Freiermuth said. “You know, we all played in big-time games as young guys in college. It has translated to now. It’s showing up.”

The Steelers teetered on the edge of disaster, but they got the win done after all. That was the most important thing for them to accomplish, and with the win, they are now in a favorable position to potentially make a run at the playoffs.