The Steelers get a bad grade from Ben Roethlisberger. Tradition “is done,” says Mike Tomlin.
Ben Roethlisberger is afraid that the “Steeler Way” will no longer be used. Four days after losing 24–10 to the 2–10 Cardinals on December 3, the Steelers lost by three points to the 2–10 Patriots on “Thursday Night Football.”
The former Steelers quarterback said that the team doesn’t scare opponents like it did during their 18 seasons in Pittsburgh. This was a harsh rebuke that will be heard throughout the Steel City.
“I just feel like people aren’t afraid to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers anymore,” Roethlisberger, 41, said on his podcast “Footbahlin” this week.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers may have made their last play. I don’t know if it needs being made in a different way.
The two-time Super Bowl winner’s harsh words come after the Steelers lost two brutal home games without their hurt starting quarterback Kenny Pickett. They are now tied with five other 7-6 teams for the last two AFC wild-card spots.
They lost to New England because they ran out of timeouts near the end of the game. They had to use one before an fourth-and-1 QB sneak with 7:13 left within the fourth quarter.
Rodgers said, “At the end of that game, if we have an additional timeout, we have another chance.”
“To win games in the second half, you can’t waste silly timeouts rather than have them late to the game.” That looks like bad teaching to me.”
The Steelers fired quarterbacks coach Matt Canada last month. If they had beaten those two weak teams at home, they would be just a game behind the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North and the conference’s top seed.
When Roethlisberger talked about keeping traditions that have been handed down to him, he also mentioned a “changing of the guard” in the way current players do things, like playing music within the locker room.
He thinks the Steelers’ defense is scary, but he’s most worried about the offensive line not having enough “toughness” and someone to bring the team together.
“Someone needs to speak out in that room and say, ‘Hey, this isn’t what it really means to wear a black and gold,'” What Roethlisberger said.
Roethlisberger has been to six Pro Bowls and is fifth in NFL history in passing yards with 64,088. He is also eighth in history with 418 touchdowns.
In his retirement, Ben Roethlisberger has been known to criticize his old team. After the two-time Super Bowl winner’s team lost against the New England Patriots 21–18 on Thursday, he didn’t hold back.
He said on a new episode from his podcast, “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger,” which came out Monday that the Pittsburgh Steelers may no longer have a practice.
The 41-year-old had several problems with the way his team lost in Week 14. He began by criticizing the second half, during which the team tried to come back without having many timeouts.
Before he stopped in 2022, Roethlisberger played for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin to 2007 to 2021. Even though Tomlin had a history with Roethlisberger, the former quarterback still went after him.
“You aren’t able to afford in the latter half of games to waste silly timeouts and to skip them late within the game,” said Roethlisberger. “To me, that’s poor coaching.”
Roethlisberger isn’t used to the Steelers being in this situation. During his 18 years with Pittsburgh, he never had a losing season and played in three Super Bowls.
After last week’s loss, the Steelers are now 7-6. Their previous loss was against the Arizona Cardinals.
As Pittsburgh’s attack has had trouble, players have shown a lot of anger through words and actions, both on and off the field. Roethlisberger seems to believe that the problem is with the squad not having enough leaders.