The Pittsburgh Steelers Own Ben Roethlisberger Was Absolutely A Cut Above The Rest In 2004

Is Pittsburgh Steelers' legend, Ben Roethlisberger the best quarterback taken in the 2004 NFL Draft? The 2004 draft was one that saw the organization draft the future of their franchise. Roethlisberger was the 11th overall pick and third quarterback taken in a draft class that saw three franchise quarterbacks find homes in the NFL. At the time, just like after every draft, the Steelers' faithful fans wondered whether they got the better player or not. Even today, some 19 years later, there are some that debate which quarterback they would have taken for their franchise. Let's go over some statistics to find out.

Before diving into comparisons, let's have a refresher of which quarterbacks were taken in 2004. At number one overall, the then-San Diego Chargers took Eli Manning. Manning was then traded to the New York Giants in a deal that saw Philip Rivers (who the Giants selected at number four overall) and two picks in 2005 head to San Diego. By the end of the draft, the Giants had Manning, the Chargers had Rivers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers had Roethlisberger. Three quarterbacks which from that point forward would forever be compared to each other. 

The Comparison

Which one of these three ended up being the best of this draft class? Let's take a look at the career stats and accolades and make a decision. Let's dive into Roethlisberger first. He played 18 years in the NFL, all of them with Pittsburgh. He has also appeared in three Super Bowls and won two of them. He finished his career with 64,088 yards passing (fifth all-time), 418 touchdowns (eighth all-time), and 211 interceptions (23rd all-time). 

He had 41 comebacks and 53 game-winning drives. He made 6 Pro Bowls and earned 1 Offensive Rookie of the Year. His 522 yards in one game still ranks 5th all time. When it comes to the postseason, Roethlisberger finished with almost 6,000 yards passing, 36 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions in 23 games where he sported a 13 and 10 record. 

The next quarterback on the docket is Eli Manning. He played 15 years in the NFL, all of them with the Giants. Manning played in and won two Super Bowls. He finished his career with 57,023 yards (10th all-time), 366 touchdowns (10th all-time) and 244 interceptions (12th all-time). He had 27 comebacks and 37 game-winning drives. He has appeared in four Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowl MVPs. In terms of the postseason, he played in 12 games where he went 8-4 and threw for 2,815 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. 

The final quarterback to take a look at is Rivers. He played 16 years in the NFL, 15 of them with the Chargers and one year with the Indianapolis Colts. He finished his career with 63,440 yards (sixth all-time), 421 touchdowns (sixth all-time) and 209 interceptions (tied for 25th). He had 29 comebacks and 35 game-winning drives. 

He has eight Pro Bowls to his name as well as the 2013 Comeback Player of the Year. A major occlusion for him is the fact that he has never played in a Super Bowl. Unlike his two competitors, he also sported an overall losing record in the postseason (5-7) on 12 attempts. During those 12 games he had 2,965 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Meaning

With all those stats out of the way, what does all this mean? These stats were pretty eye opening. Based on the numbers, the conclusion is if you combine Manning and Rivers, you get Roethlisberger. You take the gaudy career stats of Rivers and the postseason success of Manning and you have Roethlisberger's career. 

He truly, without a doubt, is the best quarterback from the 2004 draft class. He has two Super Bowl rings, just like Manning. The true deciding factor is asking the question about the Hall of Fame. Fans of the players or teams will have their own nostalgic soft spots for their own quarterback, but if each quarterback was on the same ballot, who would realistically get in? 

Conclusion

The culmination of this article is that Roethlisberger is the G.O.A.T of the 2004 quarterback draft class. As a Steelers fan, there were definitely some favorable leanings coming in, but the fact is undeniable now. He is favored in almost every category (touchdowns: he’s off by three compared to Rivers) and has the postseason success to back up the numbers. 

Plus, Roethlisberger passes the all important eye test - he was just more fun to watch in his prime. Gunslinger Ben Roethlisberger was fun and despite being unpredictable and heart attack inducing, he will always be a legendary quarterback. Whenever it’s time to vote in those Hall of Fame classes, money should be on Roethlisberger getting in before the other two. 

Who do you think is the best quarterback from the 2004 draft class? Let us know in the comments below!

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