By Adam McCoy
SteelerNation.com
If you ask anyone in Pittsburgh if Ben Roethlisberger should be in the Hall of Fame when it's all said and done, you're likely to get a resounding "yes" from yinzers everywhere. Yet there are some out there who still doubt Ben's accolades, and cite some of his 2004 draft partners as better candidates. If you ask me, that's ridiculous, and Ben is without a doubt in my mind, a future Hall of Famer. So let's dive into it and make the case for Ben Roethlisberger to be in the Hall of Fame.
In my last article on why Ben Roethlisberger should be in the Hall of Fame, we focused on the success, or lack thereof with receivers after leaving Pittsburgh. Now it's time to dive into something a little more black and white, the numbers. Over his 15 year career, Ben Roethlisberger has shattered old records, created new records, and put up consistent numbers year after year.
Career Numbers
There is a lot to go over here, so below is a list of some of the most notable numbers, and where they rank Ben all-time:
Yards: 56,545 (8th)
Touchdowns: 363 (9th)
Passer Rating: 94.0 (12th)
Ben ranks among the all-time greats in all major passing categories. With plenty of potential to rise in the rankings with Eli Manning retired, and Philip Rivers future uncertain, Ben can find himself climbing a little higher, as he finds himself just 4,817 yards and 58 touchdowns from cracking the top 5 in both categories.
Franchise Records
Ben Roethlisberger holds just about every single Steelers passing record that exists. In 2012, he overtook Terry Bradshaw's 27,989 yards for the franchise lead, and has since doubled that total. In 2013, he broke the franchise record of 212 touchdowns set by Bradshaw, and could very well double the old record as well by the end of his career. He owns the highest quarterback rating, yards per game, longest passing play, most wins, comebacks, and game-winning drives in Steelers history. He is without a doubt, the best quarterback in Steelers history.
NFL Records
If you thought the list of franchise records that Ben holds was long, hold onto your caps, because this list is significantly longer:
Most regular season wins in a season by a rookie: 13
Longest win streak to start a career: 15
Most wins in first five seasons: 51
Most TD passes in consecutive games: 12
Most 500+ yard passing games: 3
First QB to start two Conference Championships in first two seasons
Youngest starting QB to win a Super Bowl
Second QB in history (Peyton Manning) to register 3 perfect passing games
Only QB to register 2 perfect passing games in one season
Only QB with 6+ touchdowns in consecutive games
It's pretty safe to say over the course of his career Ben has done some truly spectacular things on the field, setting some records that may never be touched. One that really comes to mind for me is 6+ touchdowns in consecutive games. It's hard to imagine another quarterback having that dominant of a performance in back-to-back games. In that same vein, having two perfect passer ratings in the same season seems equally as impossible.
Conclusion
There haven't been too many quarterbacks that have been able to perform at a consistent level, for as long as Ben has. Despite being sacked 503 times in his career, 3rd highest only to Brett Favre (525) and John Elway (516), he continues to play at an elite level, though it's safe to say we're coming to the end of his storied career.
What is your favorite Ben Roethlisberger performance? Let us know in the comments!
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