Ben Roethlisberger is on a stricter diet than Tom Brady, at least according to one NFL reporter. Ryan Burr's report Tuesday that Roethlisberger is aggressively cutting weight this offseason was mocked on social media, with many suggesting it's too late for Roethlisberger to make dietary changes.
But concerns about Roethlisberger's fitness have always been overblown. He's an NFL quarterback who's only played less than 12 games once in his 17-year career, and that happened in 2019, when he underwent season-ending surgery on his right elbow.
Statistically, he's one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, ranking seventh all-time in passing yards and eighth in passing touchdowns. It's safe to assume Roethlisberger wouldn't have enjoyed this much success if he was just drinking beer and eating junk food all day.
The idea that Roethlisberger spends his offseason chugging brewskis largely comes from Jay Glazer, who ripped Roethlisberger last year for his workout routine.
"Let's not put the words fitness and Ben Roethlisberger together, they are allergic to each other," Glazer said at the time. "There is no fitness in Ben Roethlisberger. His idea of a great off-season workout program is doing one yoga session, playing golf, and drinking some beer. However, yes, what Mike Tomlin and Roethlisberger have done there has been incredible."
That statement is filled with obvious hyperbole — do we really believe there is "no fitness" in one of the game's best quarterbacks? — but the anti-Roethlisberger crowd has adopted it as gospel.
Roethlisberger's detractors have been loud this offseason in the aftermath of his dreadful December and playoff performance against Cleveland. We know the numbers: he threw nine interceptions in his last six games, with the Steelers going 2-4. They started the season 11-0 and then plummeted. Roethlisberger's nosedive is one of the biggest reasons why. At 39 years old, it's fair to wonder whether Roethlisberger has fallen off the proverbial cliff — ala Peyton Manning in December 2014.
But it's convenient to solely focus on the end of Roethlisberger's season, rather than his stellar beginning. Through the first three months, Roethlisberger completed 67 percent of his passes with 24 touchdowns and a 101.4 QB rating. That doesn't seem like someone who will be benched midseason, as Mike Tannenbaum suggested last week on ESPN.
Roethlisberger has been dissed in nearly every preseason list. The latest insult came from NFL executives and coaches, who did not rank him among the league's top 10 quarterbacks.
Burr told the PM Team that Roethlisberger hears the criticism and is determined to prove his doubters wrong. Following Barr's appearance, a listener shared a photograph of Roethlisberger at a local golf course, and we have to admit, he looks pretty swole.
Of course, one faraway picture doesn't mean Roethlisberger is ready to model swimsuits. But so far, Roethlisberg's appearance seems to match the hype.
Last year, he spoke about how he's overcome addiction. ""People don't realize all the time that us athletes, we're human. We sin like everybody else. I am no different," Roethlisberger said, via ESPN. "We make mistakes. We get addicted to things. We sin. We're human. I think sometimes we get put on this pedestal where we can't make mistakes. I've fallen as short as anybody. I've been addicted to alcohol. I've been addicted to pornography, which makes me then not the best husband, not the best father, not the best Christian I can be."
Three years ago, Roethlisberger talked about making changes to his diet. "As we get older, all of us, including everyone out here, we need to get healthier and I think we need to be healthier as a society," he told reporters, via PennLive. "So why not push for better health for everybody?"
Roethlisberger's teammates have vociferously supported him this offseason. Cam Hayward told NFL Network that Big Ben has "still got the goods," and JuJu Smith-Schuster said Roethlisberger's return convicted him to come back.
Bill Cowher, the man who drafted Roethlisberger, also gave him a recent vote of confidence. "Consistently, year in and year out, he is a great competitor," he told USA Today. "I'm sure he's just thriving right now on the fact that everyone thinks that he's done, (that) the Steelers are done."
The truth is, Roethlisberger has almost always thrived in his NFL career. Yes, the Steelers inexcusably haven't won a playoff game since 2016, but that's not solely Roethlisberger's fault.
They wouldn't have been in those positions without him in the first place.
Over the last several years, Roethlisberger has been candid about his improved conditioning habits. Burr's report about a radically different diet is an extension of what we've already seen.
Roethlisberger's age may prohibit him from returning to greatness. But his conditioning hasn't held him back.
That's just a lie.
