But maybe focus on the back and yellow Pittsburgh faithful
Pittsburgh native Kenny Pickett will look to represent his city on a much bigger scale after being drafted by the Steelers in an attempt to follow all-time great Ben Roethlisberger
Roethlisberger, hanging in the pocket, pass the right corner of the end zone, Holmes caught, toe tap, touchdown Steelers !!! The Steelers have taken the lead with 42 seconds left it’s 27-23 steelers. Santonio Holmes just made one of the greatest Super Bowl catches you will ever see ! 42 seconds later the confetti poured as the steelers just won another Super Bowl carrying their franchise total to 6. The most of any football franchise’s history. It would be big Ben’s 2nd Super Bowl title after beating the Seahawks just a few years earlier.
Quick Kurt acknowledgment.
On the other side, Kurt Warner had made 2 super bowls before winning one in 2000 and losing one in 2001. He appeared back in this 09 Super Bowl but once again fell short this time to Big Ben, who would appear in the 2011 Super Bowl and fall short to captain Rodgers in the Packers
The legacy of Ben
In 18 seasons played Ben took his team to the playoffs 12 times, he’s ranked 5th all-time in career passing yds with 64,008, he ranks 8th in all-time passing TDS with 418, and lastly ranks 5th in all-time career wins with 166.
Rodger that!
Big Ben once again led his team to the Super Bowl in 2011. But this time he found a different struggle Aaron Rodgers and at the time prime-level Jordy Nelson who noticed 68 receptions,1,263 yds, and a tremendous red zone threat that season with 15 TDS. A QB who has had worse luck than the Kennedy’s this was Aaron Rodgers night and not so many big bens.
A touchdown and interception gave the packers a 14-0 lead at the end of the first. The Steelers went into the locker room trailing 21-10. They came out much stronger after the first half after trailing 25-28 with 7 minutes left. Mason Crosby drilled a field goal to make it 31-25 packers until the clock ticked to zero and the confetti fell and the steel city came up short. It would be a gem for Rodgers 304 yds, 3 TDS, Jordy as well 9 Rec 140 yds. Big Ben not so much 263 yds 2 TDS and 2 INTs.
Owned by Brady, the end of Ben
Through the next decade of bens NFL career, the Steelers would not return to the Super Bowl one of those reasons was Tom Brady, who reigned torture over the AFC up until 2 years ago when he joined the Bucs. The 2016 conference championship saw Brady and the patriots blast the black and yellow 36-17.
2016 would be the closest they’d get back the team continued to struggle for the next decade, not finding much success in the playoffs. Lost to the ravens in 2014, and lost to Denver in 2015. The jaguars in 2017, and the browns in 2020. They’d make the playoffs 4 more times after that Super Bowl but never see February football again. Big Ben would wave goodbye to the Steelers faithful on January 3rd, 2021 against the browns in his final home game throwing for 123 yds a TD, and an int in a win.
Ben would play two more games and not win on the road, then his final game was against the Chiefs in which he said the team had no chance before the game so let’s go out and have fun, really I’ll time comment for Big Ben. All jokes aside they didn’t, the Steelers fell Big Ben finished with 215 yds and 2 TDS. They were lit up by the future Patrick Mahomes who finished with 404 yds 5 TDS and an INT.
It would be the farthest Big Ben would get in the playoffs for the rest of his career . The Steelers were put down 41-27 in this game
The future! Life without Ben
So we pretty much were well aware that replacing Big Ben was going to be a monumental task. To go from one of the greatest QB of all time to an existing QB or a new kid (who will get to in a second) would be anything but a guarantee. The Steelers kept Mason Rudolph aboard. Mason took over for Ben following his elbow surgery which knocked him out for the year a few seasons back. He threw for 13 TDs and 9 ints with a horrific qbr of 36. He was a nonfactor the last 2 seasons. Playing 5 games in 2020 2 TDS, 1 int and just 2 games played last season with 1 TD and 1 int. The quarterback room this coming season
Stats of the Steelers future and QB trio
Before we get to the final statement or verdict if you will. Mr. Harris. The Steelers drafted RB Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 draft. If this last season is any indication of the future they have a star to erupt. Najee finished with 1200 yds, 7 TDS, and 74 receptions. He was selected to the pro bowl this past season.
The Steelers signed Mitchell Trubisky this off-season as QB security and as of this writing is viewed as the team’s starting QB. He played a few years with the bears and in buffalo last year but barely played considering the lethal injection of Josh Allen was in full force. He’s never been viewed as anything more than a sub-in or mediocre QB.
Kenny Pickett.
The Steelers were ready to eye towards the future when they drafted Kenny Pickett ironically out of Pittsburgh in the first round. after a great college showing the seekers viewed him as the future. Mason Rudolph seems to be a last resort for the steelers. The decision comes down to trubisky vs Pickett, consider Mitchell on a short leash as the black and gold.
The fan base salivates for Kenny Pickett lacing up his helmet. When all is said and done the Steelers have some solid talent around for Kenny Pickett to work with. As a side note TJ Watt is quickly cementing himself as one of the all-time great defective players (runs in the family) he toed the single-season sack record last season with 22.5 sacks.
With the talent around, the Steelers have a chance to make some noise in the NFL, it won’t be easy in the AFC north, with the biggest question for the steelers at QB the black and gold are a mystery.
