Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger is headed to the Hall of Fame in a few years. His unforgettable 18 years in Pittsburgh will be remembered forever. He has found a way to stay in the news even without putting a helmet on after starting his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, with friend and co-host, Spencer Te'o. The duo has had an awesome list of guests since they began and most recently had Roethlisberger's successor, Kenny Pickett on and there was a ton of great content to take out of it.
Spencer T'eo and retired legend Ben Roethlisberger host guest and now Steelers starting quarterback, Kenny Pickett on the Footbahlin podcast. Photo Credit: Channel Seven / YouTube
Steelers Former Star Roethlisberger Brutally Honest With Pickett On Podcast
Perhaps the biggest talking point that came out of the episode was Roethlisberger blatantly saying that he originally hoped Pickett wouldn't succeed when he was drafted and labeled as the future of Steelers football. The two-time Super Bowl champion was apologetic and commended for his honesty on the subject, especially because Pickett was sitting right next to him.
Individuals like Pat McAfee were very impressed with Roethlisberger's ability to be transparent and respected him for it. That doesn't mean, however, that everyone is looking at the former signal-caller's comments as positive. NFL Network analyst, Michael Robinson absolutely blasted Roethlisberger for bringing it up to his heir apparent.
"Big Ben, man. That's whack bro. I know it's human. I get it, but that's one of those things where you're like, 'I'm thinking like that,' but those words don't actually find their way to come out of my mouth and say it at the end of the day."
Steelers former quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger throws his hands up in celebration while playing the Cleveland Browns at then-Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Robinson didn't stop there and implied that Roethlisberger bringing this up to Pickett could cause him to lose some confidence. He also hinted at the idea of Roethlisberger being a hypocrite.
"You don't do that to a young quarterback. Ben wouldn't have wanted anyone to do that to him when he was there."
There is no reason to believe that the former 18-year NFL veteran and Pickett will end up having the same poor relationship that Terry Bradshaw and Roethlisberger have had for so many years. Roethlisberger has never been one to mince words and he clearly didn't on the podcast, but was genuine when apologizing to Pickett for originally wanting him to play poorly.
"But honestly, I think as you started playing and I found myself rooting more and more for you, you know what I’m saying?... I feel bad, and I know I came on this show and… I apologized to you for not knowing how good he was gonna be," Roethlisberger said.
Steelers future Hall of Fame quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger runs onto the playing surface at Heinz Field during a 2021 preseason game prior to his final season beginning. | Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_Photo)
Robinson played in 112 career games for two different teams, so he does have a fair share of NFL experience. Overall, all that matters is that Pickett didn't take offense to the comments. It's human nature to have thoughts in the back of your mind like Roethlisberger did. It just so happens that he is a bit more honest and straightforward than most which led to the topic coming up on the podcast.
Steelers fans everywhere are hoping that their former star quarterback and new one can have a solid bond off the field. The best thing that can happen for Pickett is having Roethlisberger as a mentor and someone to look up to, not a guy who turns into a rival.
Did you have an issue with the former Steelers' quarterback's comments about Pickett? Let us know in the comments below!
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