Steelers: Roethlisberger Digging In For 2015 Season

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger recently signed a contract extension and with that distraction gone, the QB appears to be focused on 2015 preparations.

Ed Bouchette discussed the Roethlisberger salary in terms of the salary cap recently and noted in the article that the QB is planning to work out with his receivers at the University of Georgia prior to when official workouts can start at Steelers facilities on April 20th.

This is what Steeler Nation wants to see. Get after it. Now. Focus on football. Focus on the Steelers.

You can use all the terms and phrases you want: Chemistry. Muscle Memory. PRACTICE.

Very few people can succeed without preparation. Raw talent can go a long way, but as veterans age (gracefully or otherwise), they all begin to realize the value of preparation and familiarity.

I’m not saying Roethlisberger has never done this. He has. However, he is a couple of years into the Todd Haley system and could have gotten complacent. With Antonio Brown still on the team, he could have said “We’ve got this” and chosen to rest.

Roethlisberger takes a beating every year and he needs the off season. It would probably be hard to find a football player who doesn’t. However, Steeler Nation has watched his maturation and most have to be relieved to see he seems more focused now than ever before.

Will it guarantee a Super Bowl win? Nope. However, it is a key to moving the team in that direction.

Big Ben has to be the veteran now and lead by example. This is what the junior guys need to see and what, quite frankly, Roethlisberger did not demonstrate in his early years. He went on raw talent for a while.

Roethlisberger has always had a bigger target on his back than many of the quarterbacks. I attribute it, first and foremost, to his style of play that was much maligned when he first started in the NFL.

Now, it is considered a good thing, but Roethlisberger doesn’t get much credit and still gets a lot of criticism. Let’s be honest, his off-the-field issues haven’t helped the critics’ opinions whether they admit it or not.

Will another Super Bowl ring silence the critics and cement his legacy? Probably not and I don’t care. I care about the team.

Roethlisberger is digging in to train for the 2015 season and the Steelers will benefit. That’s good. Pay the man. He’s earned it.

Here we go Steelers! Here we go!

Next: Steelers: NFL Mock Draft: 7 Rounds v11.0

More from Still Curtain

Home/Steelers News