Ben Roethlisberger walks back comments on ‘coddled’ young Steelers players
Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t seem to take pleasure in being within the headlines for Pittsburgh Steelers coaching camp in his first yr of retirement, although he has few folks in charge aside from Ben Roethlisberger.
The longtime Steelers beginning quarterback walked again feedback he made final week concerning the youthful technology of gamers, complaining they’re “coddled” from a younger age and never “team-first” just like the supposedly superior gamers of his technology.
The feedback triggered a backlash, together with from Roethlisberger’s former teammate and present Steelers defensive deal with Cam Heyward.
On Thursday, Roethlisberger appeared on the Randy Baumann & the DVE Morning Present on 102.5 FM to deal with the fallout. He conceded that he painted with too broad a brush and stated the vast majority of younger Steelers gamers had been really team-first:
“I in all probability ought to’ve been extra detailed, extra particular in what I stated. It is not the vast majority of the fellows which are that manner. I believe, partly, I used to be saying too when requested what the distinction of the league now from after I first obtained in and even when Cam obtained in, the distinction within the league and the mentality of gamers, toughness, no matter you wish to say. To me, it was a really broad-stroked remark.
“Nearly all of guys on that staff are team-first guys. I hated that it obtained painted prefer it’s the vast majority of me-first, it is not that manner. There are such a lot of nice staff guys on that staff that care concerning the Steelers, this group and profitable. Perhaps I ought to have clarified a bit of extra to start with. That is my unhealthy.”
Roethlisberger added that Heyward was entitled to be indignant at him, however claimed the 2 had comparable conversations about youthful gamers over their years collectively. Heyward stated on his podcast Roethlisberger’s feedback “rubbed him the flawed manner” and defended his teammates.
The Roethlisberger feedback in query initially appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Here’s what he’s quoted as saying:
“Perhaps it’s as a result of I obtained spoiled after I got here in,” Roethlisberger stated. “The staff was so necessary. It was all concerning the staff.
“Now, it’s about me and this, that and the opposite. I is perhaps standing on a soapbox a bit of bit, however that’s my largest takeaway from after I began to the top. It turned from a team-first to a me-type angle. It was exhausting. It’s exhausting for these younger guys, too. Social media. They’re handled so effectively in school.
“Now, this new NIL stuff, which is unbelievable. They’re handled so particular. They’re coddled at a younger age as a result of school coaches want them to win, too. I do know coach [Terry] Hoeppner by no means coddled me [at Miami of Ohio]. Neither did [Bill] Cowher.”
