You can say whatever you want about Ben Roethlisberger, but you could never question his toughness.
Earlier this year, he was listed on the injury report with a hip injury after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 4 game against the Green Bay Packers. He informed reporters that it was impacting his mobility and ability to step into throws.
Steelers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud dove more into it when speaking with reporters while revealing Big Ben was in so much escrutiating pain that he couldn’t even tie his own shoe.
“I remember one game, he was on the sideline and it looked like he had four hip pads on,” McCloud said, as transcribed by Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot. “And the game before that, I think he had a bruise going from his knee all the way up to almost his rib from his hip. And I remember he didn’t practice all week. He couldn’t tie his shoe.
“He went into the game and took every hit that came his way, never complained. And he came to the sideline (and said), ‘Next series, next series, next series.’ And just that mentality of do whatever it takes, I think that makes him who he is.”
The two-time Super Bowl champion has recently revealed that this may in fact be his final season, which would make Monday’s game against the Cleveland Browns the final home game of his career.
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“Looking at the bigger picture, I would say all signs are pointing to this could be it — regular season, that is,” Roethlisberger said Thursday. “I know we still have a chance to potentially get a playoff game there if things fall our way and we take care of business and things have to happen. In the grand scheme of things, in terms of regular seasons, signs are pointing that way that this could be it.”
Roethlisberger, who returned this year after reducing his pay in the offseason, has played his entire 18-year career with the Steelers after being drafted 11th overall in the 2004 class.
Through that time, he has racked up 63,721 passing yards, 416 touchdown throws and six Pro Bowl selections.
