With Steelers Great Ben Roethlisberger Struggling With Life Merril Hoge Was Tasked With Helping

The Pittsburgh Steelers found the quarterback who would be the face of the franchise for 18 seasons when they drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. However, Roethlisberger seemed to struggle to adapt to life in the spotlight. Getting drafted by Pittsburgh was probably the best thing that could have happened to him. The Rooney family has always treated their players like family and cared for them. Roethlisberger was no exception. 

They didn't give up on him when he had a motorcycle accident shortly after Super Bowl XL. At the young age of 24, Roethlisberger found himself in the hospital in critical condition, having broken both his upper and lower jaw and sustaining numerous other injuries. He has always proven tough, and that recovery showed the world how tough he could be. 

Then Roethlisberger had some sexual assault allegations leveled against him. No formal charges were pressed, and he was convicted of nothing. The Rooneys were concerned about his future enough that Art Rooney II called former Steelers running back Merril Hoge and asked him to help get him on the right path. Recently, Hoge appeared on The Victory Degree Podcast and told the story of their relationship.

"He made some mistakes early in his career, and I got asked to mentor him, and I remember Mr. Art (Rooney II) asked me to do that. I hung up the phone, and I was thinking, I'm just not a babysitter; what am I going to tell Ben? I mean, the kid's 26; he's got a great dad. But I'm gonna go meet him. A meeting was set up with him and his dad at his house. Ben said, 'I appreciate you coming here, but I got myself in this mess; I'm gonna get myself out.' As soon as he said that, I'm like, you and I are gonna get along just fine."

Hoge spent seven seasons with the Steelers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After he retired from football, he worked as an analyst for ESPN. He suffered from multiple concussions during his time in the league, one of which led to him having to be resuscitated. Hoge also developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma and later needed open heart surgery.

All that Hoge has been through hasn't made him bitter. Instead, as an inspirational speaker, his passion is encouraging people to fight for their dreams. A believer in the power of positive thinking and a man of faith, Hoge was a natural pick to mentor Roethlisberger, who grew up in a Christian home. Regardless of what Roethlisberger was accused of, Hoge said he didn't let that color his thinking about him. 

"I think he is a great story of accountability. He made mistakes, I tell people if you can walk on water, then hey, you can judge because I've only known one person to do that prior, so to judge is nobody's job or business, and don't make excuses and go, 'Well I never made mistakes like that,' but you made mistakes."

Roethlisberger helped the Steelers make it to three Super Bowls, winning two. He was the NFL Rookie of the Year and a six-time Pro Bowler. He was twice named the NFL passing yard leader in 2014 and 2018.  

Hoge and Roethlisberger remain close. They bonded over overcoming personal struggles, hunting, and golf. Hoge admires how Roethlisberger has turned his life around and learned from his mistakes, rather than letting his past define him. Now, Hoge sees Roethlisberger as a pillar of the community—a great father, teammate, and friend.  

Steelers' Merril Hoge Fights For Better Head Trauma Protocols

While on the podcast, Hoge also spoke about how he fought so passionately for the NFL to develop better systems for dealing with head trauma. He said the actual concussion isn't the issue. It is how the NFL deals with them. During his single season with the Chicago Bears, he suffered a massive head trauma and said he was cleared to play by phone, the doctor didn't even evaluate him. 

Hoge has credited former Steelers head coach, Chuck Noll, with fighting for concussion protocol in the past. Hoge said Noll demanded evaluations for players who'd suffered a concussion, something more than just the team doctor's opinion. Thanks largely to Noll, today's NFL players are evaluated far more thoroughly than in the past. 

Do you agree with Hoge's assessment of Roethlisberger? Click to comment below. 

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