Ben Roethlisberger remains one of the most iconic figures in Pittsburgh Steelers history, particularly in recent decades. His numbers with the franchise speak for themselves: over 18 seasons in black and gold, he threw 418 touchdown passes and helped lead the team to two Super Bowl championships alongside his teammates. There’s little, if anything, to hold against him given his contributions to the franchise.
Because of his credentials, Roethlisberger has both the authority and moral standing to speak frankly about the current state of the team he loves. As the new season gets underway, he has not been impressed with what he’s seen from the Steelers’ offense. According to him, if things continue in this direction, their 41-year-old veteran quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, will struggle to endure the physical toll for long.
I’m still a little nervous about this game.
Roethlisberger admitted candidly.
I’m being honest… I have us as a W, and I’m changing my mind… Unfortunately. I have a fear that our offense is not going to be able to do enough… our defense will play fine. I don’t think our offense will do enough this week.
The former quarterback didn’t stop there, continuing with an even sharper critique.
I’m afraid of our line that they’re not going to get it done, and Flores is going to take advantage of it because he’s a very good defensive coordinator. He knows what he’s doing. We never should have let him go, and he’s going to find a way to attack, and our defense isn’t going to be able to do enough to keep us in the game.
Roethlisberger’s concerns reflect a glaring problem: the offensive line is failing to give Rodgers the necessary protection to run plays effectively. If this continues, the veteran quarterback will likely pay the price sooner rather than later.
The Steelers’ troubling numbers early in the season
So far in the 2025 campaign, the Steelers rank as the league’s 24th passing offense. The stats tell a stark story: they average only 184 passing yards per game and just 63 rushing yards, placing them 30th in rushing production across the NFL.
After a promising start to the season, Rodgers threw four touchdown passes, giving fans hope. However, that early optimism quickly faded. In the following games, his performance plummeted, leaving fans disheartened and worried about the team’s trajectory.
The lack of protection from the offensive line has been a key factor in this decline. In just three games, Rodgers has been sacked seven times. With such persistent pressure and a difficult schedule ahead, even the team’s greatest legends doubt Pittsburgh’s chances of making a serious run this year.
Terry Bradshaw’s blunt assessment
Another Steelers icon, Terry Bradshaw, has also been vocal about his doubts.
They’re never going to fire Mike Tomlin… They’ve made the playoffs (a lot in his) 18 years, if he wins it, he’ll go again 19 years. They don’t have the team. It takes offense, defense, takes it all, takes coaching,
Bradshaw said.
He concluded with a stark reality check:
They’re always competitive, but they’re past being a contender. They’re not a contender.
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