STEELERS NEWSBen Roethlisberger, the legendary quarterback for the Steelers, discusses how he took advantage of the officials by milking his big hits.

STEELERS NEWSBen Roethlisberger, the legendary quarterback for the Steelers, discusses how he took advantage of the officials by milking his big hits.

Ben Roethlisberger led the Pittsburgh Steelers for eighteen seasons, starting in 2004 and ending in 2021. They never had a losing season and won two Super Bowls during that time. Because of his endurance and perseverance, Roethlisberger was renowned for being able to play through injuries of any severity. This was beneficial to him during his illustrious time in Pittsburgh, and it’s a major factor in the consensus that he is the greatest quarterback in franchise history. Especially in AFC North games, Roethlisberger took a lot of hard blows while playing in the NFL.

Recently, Roethlisberger was featured on the podcast Alpha 5 Method With Bruce Gradkowski, hosted by Bruce Gradkowski. From 2013 to 2016, Gradkowski served as Roethlisberger’s backup, and it’s clear that the two became close during Gradkowski’s stay in Pittsburgh. The two discussed the Steelers’ 2014 Wild Card game versus the Baltimore Ravens when Roethlisberger was on the show. Gradkowski, who has to relieve Roethlisberger for a few plays, mentioned that he would “milk” his injuries in order to remain on the field longer as they reminisced about the hit that forced Roethlisberger out of the game.

Man, you have to milk that stuff. You must use all of the time that they grant you. Is that similar to the eight count? You must allow yourself a moment to stand up.”

Gradkowski replaced Roethlisberger, who ended up leaving the game for a few plays. Gradkowski gained 22 yards after successfully completing two of his three passes. Gradkowski managed to sustain the Steelers’ drive at that point, when they were trailing 16 points, and Roethlisberger eventually made a comeback to the game. Although the Steelers would ultimately lose by a score of 30–17, Roethlisberger’s decision to play on after taking a massive hit is just one more illustration of his resilience.

In the defeat, Roethlisberger didn’t play at his best. With a QB rating of 79.3, he was sacked five times and completed with one score to two interceptions. After falling there in the 2008 AFC Championship Game, it was the first time the Ravens have won a playoff game in Pittsburgh.

Throughout his career, Roethlisberger took a lot of big hits, and there were many instances where he laid on the ground following a play. Fans now understand why it was done. After suffering a significant setback, Roethlisberger wanted to make the most of his remaining time to regain his composure.

The previous postseason meeting between the two rival teams occurred when the Steelers lost to the Ravens in the Wild Card round. Both sides have since advanced to the AFC Championship Game, where they have both lost. Since then, the Steelers have had difficulty experiencing any true playoff success. Prior to falling to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round of the 2016 playoffs, they had previously defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.

Since then, Pittsburgh has advanced four times to the playoffs without winning a single game. In each and every one of those playoff games, they have conceded more than thirty points. The 2021 season marked Roethlisberger’s final postseason appearance; it was a Wild Card Round loss to the Chiefs, which