The Pittsburgh Steelers are known for their success, which has led to them having one of the most devoted and passionate fan bases in the world. The presence of the fan base is noticed on game days, but also when they need to defend members of the organization. It's clear fans of the team are allowed to state their criticisms, but if an outsider in the national media says anything negative, they better be ready to feel the wrath of all Yinzers.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger warming up prior to a game.
This is a lesson NFL insider Ian Rapoport learned earlier in his career. He is now one of the most well-respected insiders in sports, but just over 10 years ago, he was still trying to make a name for himself in the world of NFL media. He started at NFL Network in 2012, and in 2013, he released a series of articles discussing Ben Roethlisberger's discontent with the Steelers. He shared this story on the Chipped Ham And Football podcast with Brian Batko.
"Early on in my career, really early, I reported a bunch of stuff on Big Ben [Roethlisberger]. It was, you know, the team was like 1-5 and he was real upset. To my knowledge, he was kind of venting to people who were close to him. I came out with a series of reports basically about his sort of discontent right, and then sort of internal wondering you know, 'Where's this gonna go?' It was a really good introduction for me as a young reporter who thought he knew everything. When you report on a starting quarterback whose fans care greatly, the reaction is going to be immense."
The season Rapoport is referring to was the 2013 NFL season. Pittsburgh went 8-8 on the year, but started the year with a 0-4 record heading into the bye week in Week 5. Teams want to head into the bye week hot, and the Steelers did the opposite of that. For two weeks straight, the organization had to hear a bunch of negative things from the national media about their poor start to the season.
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Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leaves the field after losing Super Bowl XLV to Green Bay.
It's understandable that Roethlisberger was probably upset about the poor start to the season, but Rapoport took his reports to another level. He even speculated that Roethlisberger would ask out of Pittsburgh after the 2013 season came to a close by requesting a trade. Roethlisberger acknowledged Rapoport's reporting after a game during that same season while speaking with ESPN.
"When it comes to wanting to go somewhere else or anything like that, that's completely unacceptable, it's one of the most B.S. stories I've ever heard. I'm not quitting, and that means in more ways than one. I'm not quitting on anything, this season, this team, these fans. I'm going to give it everything I have. This is home."
Roethlisberger told no lies, as he finished out his career in Pittsburgh by retiring after the 2021 season. He signed multiple extensions with the organization after these "trade" rumors started from Rapoport. This goes to show that even the most respected and credible sources in the NFL could be wrong.
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Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown at the Pro Bowl.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Had More Issues With Ian Rapoport
This wasn't the last time Roethlisberger took issue with some of Rapoport's reporting. In 2018, Rapoport reported that Roethlisberger was playing with cracked ribs, which might hinder his performance. Roethlisberger used to appear on his own radio show on 93.7 The Fan, where he was asked about this back in 2018.
"I don’t know where that guy gets his information from, so we’re not even gonna give him credence on this show, if that’s OK with you."
This report didn't have any negative impacts on Roethlisberger. If anything, it made him seem like an iron man for playing through injury. It displays how after the 2013 incident, he could never trust what Rapoport reported throughout the rest of his career. It seemed as though Roethlisberger had serious beef with Rapoport, which is understandable after sparking fake trade rumors.
What do you think about Rapoport's reporting? Let us know in the comments below!
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