Ben Roethlisberger didn’t want Kenny Pickett to fill his shoes — at least not at first.
The two-time Super Bowl champion walked into retirement after the 2021 season not due to falling out of love with the game but because, at age 39, he could no longer make the throws that defined his early success in the NFL. So when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted hometown product Pickett with the 20th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Roethlisberger’s first instinct was that the young gun would be a threat to his legacy. If Pickett walked into the starting lineup and instantly clicked, how would that reflect on Big Ben’s work in the Steel City?
But with the benefit of hindsight, Roethlisberger realizes that concern was selfish. So when he had Pickett on his Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast, he used the opportunity to apologize to his replacement.
“I’ll be completely honest,” Roethlisberger told Pickett. “I’ll be super transparent here and I’m gonna get blasted. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I mean, who cares at this point?
“I wouldn’t say that I wanted Kenny to necessarily fail, but when someone comes to replace you and I still feel like I had it. Like, I hope he doesn’t come ball out. Because then it’s like, ‘Ben, who?’
“As you started playing, I found myself rooting more and more for you. You know what I’m saying? We sat down here and watched games and we were high-fiving, going nuts when you were leading the team and doing things.
“I feel bad. I know I came on this show … apologized to you for not knowing how good he was gonna be. I had no idea. I’m glad that I was wrong … I think you’re the future of this team. I really do.”
It was an earnest reflection from a player whose football-related honesty occasionally landed him in trouble with the Steelers (and whose off-field exploits leave him with a complicated, often disappointing, legacy). Roethlisberger ascended to legendary status in Pittsburgh, and his on-field production means Pickett can’t erase him no matter how good he may be. But his concern about being erased is relatable and refreshing, particularly for someone in the midst of a professional crossroad.
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