PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday he's been dealing with his shoulder injury since early in the season, saying it happened against Cincinnati or Oakland. He just didn't share that information then.
Roethlisberger said all players are feeling the effects of the game, even the kicker right now.
"Every one of the hits I get makes me feel that way Monday when I wake up," Roethlisberger asked if any hits he's taken stand out this year. "At the end of the day, you get up because you love the game, you love your teammates, you love the fans. You just want to keep doing it."
No Overlook
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday playing 0-8 Detroit is not like playing a FCS team or an easy opponent for homecoming. Roethlisberger said they aren't good enough to overlook anyone.
"We are not exactly playing the best football right now," Roethlisberger said. "We've got a winning record. If you ask most of the guys in this building will tell you we have a long way to go. I know Coach will pull his 'nameless gray faces', but honestly they are a NFL team that will come in trying to beat us."
The Steelers QB says he will let the coaches prepare them for the game, but does believe they will expect the Lions to take play with nothing to lose. He says it's more about taking care of what they can.
"We need to go out and play our game because we are not very good," Roethlisberger said.
Game-winning Drive
It was Roethlisberger's 38th career, fourth quarter game winning drive, but the first with this group of players. Five weren't even on the roster last season and he says he talks to guys about professional teams never being out of it whether you are winning or losing.
"I thought it was great because that group has struggled in practice doing the two-minute drill recently," Roethlisberger said. "The defense has had our number the last couple of times we've done it. To do it in a game when it really matters is special."
Roethlisberger also boiled down this comeback and many others.
"You just realize you stunk the first three quarters," Roethlisberger quipped.
Drafting Freiermuth
He leads the team in touchdown receptions, including three in the last couple of games. Roethlisberger admitted that on Draft Day, he had no idea who Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth was.
"I was on a date with my wife," Roethlisberger said. "The alert came through and said we drafted Pat Freiermuth. I don't know who this is. I had no idea who Pat was."
"About 20-30 seconds later I got a text from BA (Bruce Arians) saying he's the closest thing to Heath Miller I've ever seen, you'll love this kid."
Freiermuth met Miller for the first time before the game Monday night. Roethlisberger said in the fourth quarter Freiermuth came up to him and asked if Miller could come to every game.
