When it comes to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger he is sometimes left out when talking about an all around great quarterback. Names like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning and Drew Brees come to mind.
Big Ben has been to three Super Bowls during his time in Pittsburgh and won two of them, his name should be at least mentioned here and there when talking about top quarterbacks in the league today.
NFL.com’s writer Dave Dameshek put together his own Top-10 list of quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era. Pittsburgh’s own Big Ben Roethlisberger made the list.
Dameshek talked about putting Roethlisberger at No.4 on his list.
“If Big Ben can win a third Super Bowl ring while continuing to rack up the sorts of big numbers he has the last few seasons (and we’re gambling he will), it’ll be hard to conjure a case against his lofty placement here.”
The list may be kind of deceiving when he listed Cam Newton ahead of John Elway and Brett Favre but his explanation about the Newton selection was explained quite well. Go check out the top 10 quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era here.
What do you guys think about this list? Should Big Ben be recognized for his success in Pittsburgh? I think Dameshek put Roethlisberger correctly on the list and believe he will continue to strive and win important games in the clutch ways he has always done.
9 Comments
Leave a Reply
Show Your Team Spirit
Get Your Steelers Tickets
Steelers Gab Newsletter
Sign up to receive our Steelers Gab newsletter, and keep up to date with all the latest Pittsburgh Steelers news.
DrGeorge
May 10, 2016 at 6:20 pm
“All Time” lists aren’t worth the thought expended on them. They are always skewed toward more recent players and heavily dependent on statistics, which are misleading. QBs in the Goodell era all have inflated stats. Moreover, the rules have changed dramatically over the years. That’s why Johnny Unitas, Norm Van Brocklin, Johnny Lujack, and Otto Graham — all great QBs — rarely make such lists today. It simply isn’t possible to compare QBs fairly across eras.
However, we can compare players meaningfully with those who played under the same rules; QBs of the same era. And by that standard, Ben R. is a second tier QB at best, not based on mere statistics, which are easily inflated, but based on efficiency, particularly red zone efficiency.
Yes, he won two Super Bowls, but his QB rating in each game was dreadful, he didn’t win those games alone, and the last SB victory was 8 years ago. A few years back, when there were rumors swirling in Pittsburgh about trading Ben R., nobody wanted to make a deal. That alone speaks volumes. The General Managers of the league didn’t see the value.
Of the names in this article, Ben R. compares most favorably with Eli Manning; both are good, but not great QBs, and the best days for both are behind them. But given a stout defense and a dominant O-line, they are both capable of winning another Super Bowl. As Peyton Manning proved last year, you don’t need to be a Tier 1 QB to do that if you have an outstanding defense to make up for your mistakes.
SteelCityReport
May 10, 2016 at 7:05 pm
First off.I agree with some points you made about the comparing quarterbacks across eras. But to simplify degrade a franchise quarterback who made the Steelers successful over the last decade is Just disrespect. I am in shock that such a Steelers fan shows no respect to the leader of the team. Go and watch Superbowl 43 and the game winning drive. Yes it was 8 years ago but without Ben making terrific throws Pitt would have lost. More recently watch the Bengals playoff game. He comes back in and leads his team down from behind to a victory. Now that’s a franchise quarterback. Did you just say Peyton Manning is not a tier one quarterback aswell? Hopefully you were talking about his last two seasons and not his career. I don’t know what site you were on but the rumors of Ben being traded never would have happened. Even if they did organizations would of placed in an offer. He is a 2 time Superbowl Champion and a clutch quarterback. Sorry Dr. George you can’t disrespect a player that has the true heart and dedication to win games more than anyone on the team. He hates losing.
DaveB.
May 10, 2016 at 7:29 pm
The way I look at it is fairly simple . The Steelers went from 1980 to 2005 without winning a Super Bowl . Thats 25 long years . During those 25 years we had the likes of Kent Graham , Bubby Brister , David Woodley , Neil O’Donnell and yes slash , Kordell Stewert . All these guys were average run of the mill players , but none of them were elite players and it showed in their play . Then 2004 comes along and in walks Ben Roethlisberger . After an injury to Tommy Maddox , Ben comes in and rattles off 13 wins in a row as a rookie and the rest as they say , is history . Here we are 12 years later and the the Steelers have been to 3 Super Bowls and walked away with 2 Vince Lombardi trophys . After the 25 year drought the team went through , I’ll take those 2 wins any day . As far as Ben is concerned , yes , he does hold on to the ball to long and he always has . In addition , by doing that , there has been times he has hurt his team and himself by subjecting himself to hits that he didnt have to take . Early in his career , Ben had a reckless devil may care attitude off the field and it nearly cost him his life when he crashed his motorcycle without wearing a helmet . Since that time Ben has aged , gotten married , had a child and finally settled down like a married man should . At the end of the day , I look at the pluses and minuses . Bens pluses far out way his minuses and the Steelers are a contender every year because of it . Is Ben as good as Tom Brady ? No . Is he as good as Peyton Manning was ? No . With that being said , if Im building a team and I need a quarterback to be my field general , Id take Ben and never think twice . Bottom line , hes a winner . If the team , can finally manage to fix the defensive side of the ball , there’s no reason the Steelers cant win another Super Bowl before Ben finally hangs up his cleats for good . If they do , and Ben gets his 3rd ring in 4 trys , you have to put him in the conversation as one of the all time greats . He will have earned it .
David Szakacs
May 11, 2016 at 9:18 am
Ben is probably the most durable QB of recent times. Just look back at all the hits and injuries he’s endured and has come back, time after time and made the plays that mattered. I remember back when the “experts” said Bradshaw was a dumb hick. It’s all typical of bias against the TEAM OF SUPERBOWLS over the years. Go Black and Gold!
DrGeorge
May 11, 2016 at 11:22 am
I’m being blamed for things I did not say. The issue raised by Bodnar’s article is that Ben R. is among the great (Tier 1) QBs. I didn’t say he wasn’t a good QB or that the Steelers weren’t happy to have him or that he didn’t improve the Steelers. All that is true. But he is not a great QB, as Peyton Manning was in his prime and as Brady and Rodgers still are.
In Super Bowl 40, his QB rating was 27 — the lowest ever. The Steelers won that game in spite of his inept play. The Super Bowl 43, he did lead the game winning come back drive — but S. Holmes also caught six consecutive passes in that drive, including that tiptoe beauty at the end. In Super Bowl 45 against Green Bay, with Wallace, Ward, Randle-El, and Sanders for receivers (Holmes was gone), Ben R. was unable to convert the final drive and threw 2 interceptions in the game.
I also acknowledged that Ben R. is good enough to win another Super Bowl. But if he wins a third ring, it will not be because of his abilities (as recent years have proved), but because the team around him — especially the defense — got a whole lot better. A great QB can elevate a mediocre team; Ben has not. A great QB is consistent; Ben is not. That makes him a fine Tier 2 QB, but not a great one.
DaveB.
May 11, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Everyone in the world is entitled to their own opinion and Lord knows we all have one . The one thing I will say is , this is a football website designed to spark interest and then debate the topics such as they are . As far as the childish name calling and derogatory statements being made , do it somewhere else , thats not what this site is about .
Nathaniel Bodnar
May 11, 2016 at 7:31 pm
Absolutely. I just saw the comment made to Dr.George and removed it. Not necessary. My goal when I was brought on board as a Writer for this website was and still is to provide quality content that could have mixed opinions. Not everyone will agree. I thank you and DrGeorge for commenting on almost every post. You guys are the two that I have seen the most and appreciate your support. Thanks guys!
DaveB.
May 11, 2016 at 7:51 pm
You’re welcome . Thanks for the kind words , from a lifelong Pittsburgh Steeler fan .
DrGeorge
May 12, 2016 at 6:20 pm
My thanks to Mr. Bodnar and DaveB. for their understanding and support of the civil exchange of ideas on this site. We have tried very hard over the years to keep this site at a level or two above the others, by focusing on issues rather than personalities and by citing facts to support ideas and propositions. When we disagree, as we sometimes do, we do so respectfully. Comments that devolve into vituperative and vulgarities are mere venting, rage without any higher purpose. I commend you, Mr. Bodnar, for vetting the site and removing comments that depart from our traditional spirit of civility.