EDITOR'S NOTE: On this Thanksgiving, Asked and Answered will feature just one question and one answer, and it remembers the career of one of the greatest players in franchise history. It is a cliché that something or someone isn't truly appreciated until it or that individual is gone, and I believe that to be the case with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. And so before diving into a day that may include a traditional holiday dinner along with a full day of NFL football, Steelers fans should take a moment to be thankful for Roethlisberger's career, which included a lot of winning, a lot of offensive fireworks, and two more Lombardi Trophies to the franchise's collection.
- Download and listen to the Ask & Answered Podcast here: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Let's get to it:
NICHOLAS MOSES FROM SIMI VALLEY, CA: Ben Roethlisberger has never won an MVP or really ever come close. He's never been regarded as the best quarterback in the league, or even in the top three for that matter. He won two Super Bowls but didn't win MVP of either. We all believe he belongs in the Steelers Hall of Honor, but why is he so often talked about as an inevitable Hall of Famer?
ANSWER: I'm not even going to attempt to put together a narrative on why I believe Ben Roethlisberger is not only a lock to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he also should be a lock to be elected in his first year of eligibility. Instead, I'm going to present his list of accomplishments and allow the sum total of those to make the case for me. When you're reading through this list, pay particular attention to the many categories in which Roethlisberger ranks among the best in NFL history (highlighted in ALL CAPS).
STARTED IN STYLE
• Roethlisberger registered a 165-81-1 (.670) regular season record as a starting quarterback.
• His 165 regular-season victories as a starting quarterback are a franchise record and the FIFTH-MOST IN NFL HISTORY.
• His .670 regular season winning percentage as a starting quarterback is the second highest in franchise history and SIXTH HIGHEST IN NFL HISTORY (min. 150 games started).
AMONG THE ALL-TIME BEST
• Roethlisberger ranks in the TOP EIGHT IN NFL REGULAR-SEASON HISTORY in games (sixth, 249), starts (fifth, 247), pass yards (fifth, 64,088), pass completions (fifth, 5,440), pass attempts (fifth, 8,443) and TD passes (eighth, 418).
• He ranks in the TOP SIX IN NFL REGULAR-SEASON HISTORY with one franchise in games (third, 249), starts (third, 247), pass yards (third, 64,088), pass completions (third, 5,440), pass attempts (fifth, 8,443) and TD passes (sixth, 418).
• Roethlisberger also RANKS IN THE TOP 10 IN NFL REGULAR-SEASON HISTORY in pass yards/attempt (sixth, 7.59, min. 5,000 pass attempts) and passer rating (seventh, 93.5, min. 5,000 pass attempts).
IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT WINNING
• Roethlisberger is ONE OF FIVE QUARTERBACKS IN NFL HISTORY to register 160 regular season wins as a starter.
• He joined Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady as the only starting quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 160 regular season wins.
• Roethlisberger registered his 160th career win in his 238th career start, BECOMING THE THIRD-FASTEST QUARTERBACK TO REACH 160 WINS IN NFL HISTORY.
• In his 18-year career, which included 249 regular-season games, Roethlisberger was one of the best passers in the NFL history in the fourth quarter and overtime.
• He completed 1,421 passes on 2,196 attempts (64.7 pct.) for 16,860 yards and 120 TDs with 62 interceptions (94.4 passer rating).
• ROETHLISBERGER'S 16,860 YARDS PASSING IN THE FOURTH QUARTER AND OVERTIME, ALONE, NEARLY RANKS AMONG THE TOP-100 OVERALL PASSERS IN NFL HISTORY.
BEN VS. THE AFC
• Roethlisberger registered a 122-60-1 (.669) regular season record as a starting quarterback against AFC opponents.
• His 122 regular-season victories against AFC opponents as a starting quarterback are a franchise record and the THIRD-MOST IN NFL HISTORY.
• Roethlisberger's .669 regular season winning percentage against AFC opponents is a franchise record and the THIRD HIGHEST IN NFL HISTORY (min. 100 starts).
• He registered a 66-21-1 (.756) regular-season record as a starting quarterback against AFC North opponents.
• Roethlisberger's 66 regular-season intradivision victories are the SIXTH-MOST IN NFL HISTORY.
• He finished with a .500 or above regular season record against AFC North opponents in 16 of his 18 NFL seasons.
• Roethlisberger became the SEVENTH QUARTERBACK IN NFL REGULAR-SEASON HISTORY – and the first Steelers QB – to reach 60,000 passing yards. He accomplished the feat in Week 15 of 2020 at Cincinnati.
• ROETHLISBERGER, PEYTON MANNING, AND TOM BRADY ARE THE ONLY QUARTERBACKS IN NFL HISTORY TO THROW FOR 60,000 OR MORE YARDS AND WIN AT LEAST TWO SUPER BOWLS.
BEN GOING OVER 90
• Roethlisberger threw four TD passes of 90 yards or longer in his regular-season career, which is the MOST SUCH TD PASSES IN NFL HISTORY.
• Remarkably, all four of his TD passes of 90 yards or longer actually exceeded 94 yards.
• The NFL has seen 35 TD passes of 94 yards or longer since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, and Roethlisberger has four of them.
• His 97-yard connections, (Oct. 29, 2017, at Detroit and Nov. 25, 2018, at Denver) with WR JuJu Smith-Schuster are the longest passing plays and tied for the longest offensive plays in franchise history.
THROWING FOR TOUCHDOWNS
• Roethlisberger threw 15 or more TD passes in 17 of his 18 NFL seasons. The 17 15+ TD passing seasons are the fourth-most since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
• He threw 20 or more TD passes in 12 of his 18 NFL seasons. The 12 20+ TD passing seasons are tied for the eighth-most since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
• Roethlisberger threw 25 or more TD passes in nine of his 18 NFL seasons. The nine 25+ TD passing seasons are tied for the seventh-most since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
• He threw 30 or more TD passes in four of his 18 NFL seasons. The four 30+ TD passing seasons are tied for the eighth-most since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
• ROETHLISBERGER THREW FOR 3,000 OR MORE YARDS IN 15 OF HIS 18 NFL SEASONS. ONLY TOM BRADY (19), BRETT FAVRE (18), DREW BREES (16) AND PEYTON MANNING (16) HAVE MORE 3,000-YARD PASSING SEASONS IN NFL HISTORY.
BIG BEN, BIG COMEBACKS
• ROETHLISBERGER RALLIED THE STEELERS FROM A TIE OR DEFICIT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER 53 TIMES IN HIS REGULAR-SEASON CAREER, WHICH IS THE MOST IN FRANCHISE HISTORY AND TIED FOR THE SECOND-MOST IN NFL HISTORY.
• ONLY PEYTON MANNING (54) HAD RALLIED A TEAM FROM A TIE OR DEFICIT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER MORE OFTEN. TOM BRADY AND DREW BREES ALSO REGISTERED 53.
• Roethlisberger rallied the Steelers from a tie or deficit in the fourth quarter seven times in 2021, which was the most in the NFL and TIED FOR THE SECOND-MOST IN SINGLE-SEASON NFL HISTORY.
• HE LED THE STEELERS TO AN OFFENSIVE SCORING DRIVE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WITH THE TEAM TRAILING BY ONE SCORE TO EITHER TIE OR TAKE THE LEAD 40 TIMES IN HIS REGULAR-SEASON CAREER, WHICH IS THE MOST IN FRANCHISE HISTORY AND THIRD-MOST IN NFL HISTORY.
• ROETHLISBERGER REGISTERED 59 REGULAR-SEASON VICTORIES IN GAMES DECIDED BY SIX POINTS OR LESS WITH HIM UNDER CENTER, WHICH IS THE MOST IN NFL HISTORY.
• He recorded six victories in games decided by six points or less with him under center in 2021, which were tied for the most in the NFL.
• Roethlisberger registered a regular season record of 59-33-1 (.640) in games decided by six points or less with him under center.
• HIS .640 REGULAR SEASON WIN PERCENTAGE IN GAMES DECIDED BY SIX POINTS OR LESS IS THE SECOND HIGHEST IN NFL HISTORY.
