Colin Cowherd hammers Roethlisberger, Steelers: “The Steelers sold their soul to Ben Roethlisberger … and now they’re trapped”
… Colbert acknowledges that #7 will not return
Pittsburgh Steeler fans agree that it is time that the team cut Ben Roethlisberger. Now, the national media is saying the same thing.
No one has perhaps been as brutal in assessing the situation in which the Steelers find themselves vis-a-vis Roethliberger, their veteran QB. The team has made a horrible bet with his contract, and now they cannot pay their top players because of his $41 million hit against the cap.
Cowherd is the host of a radio show on Fox Sports Radio, and he was blunt about the situation. Many Steelers fans probably agreed with him.
Steelers have “sold their soul”
The Steelers have won just three playoff games in the past ten years despite having quality players. Cowherd bluntly assessed why they have problems in December,
Kevin Colbert, their GM, came out and his quote about Big Ben was, “As we sit here today, Ben is a member of the Steelers. Not exactly a big advocate.”
The Steelers have sold their soul a little bit on Big Ben. Let me tell you the truth about Big Ben. And Pittsburgh has known this from day one. He doesn’t commit in the off-season. Jay Glazer jokes, ‘His idea of an offseason workout is beers and a yoga workout once a week.’ He’s never been good with film study, and it’s gotten worse over time. He’s an average practice player.
They run a remedial, unsophisticated audible system. They’ve catered it to Big Ben. And also, he struggles with high-profile offensive players.
Pittsburgh’s a smart organization. They know he should be better at film study. They know he should be more committed in the offseason. They know he’s too dramatic when anyone gets a glare on the offensive side.
They sold their soul for Ben, and here’s where they are.
Trapped.
Colin Cowherd, “The Steelers sold their soul on Ben Roethlisberger,”
The Herd with Colin Cowherd, February 2021
So, essentially Cowherd is willing to say what the Pittsburgh media will not. Coach Mike Tomlin and the organization realizes that Roethlisberger chokes in December because he is lazy, does nothing in the off-season, does not get along with his teammates, drinks too much, and is a detriment to the team — and has been for years.
He is superbly talented, which is the reason that he throws for many yards — but cannot win championships.
Now, if the Steelers do not cut him, they will not be able to sign some players they need to keep, like linebacker Bud DuPree and JuJu Smith-Schuster. They also need to start rebuilding their offensive line since all-pro center Maurkice Pouncey has retired.
They had no running game toward the end of the season.
And Cowherd lays that on the lap of Roethlisberger and his enablers,
Trapped.
Forty-two million bucks, if they cut him they pay him 23 on the cap. And he’s bad at the end of the year because he’s never committed in the offseason. He was awful in December. He was 1 and 4, eight picks, that bad.
That’s what happens as you age as a quarterback. Brees didn’t have the arm in December, Ben’s bad in December all the time.
Colin Cowherd, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, February 2021
Comparison with Favre, Brady, and the Packers
Cowherd says that Brett Favre and Ben Roethlisberger have some similarities, and that bot ended their careers poorly,
My wife tells me I have to stay current. Dress current. Social media current. Get on instagram. Tom Brady’s the embodiment of this.
He gets on social media and he’s funny. He’s relevant. He’s good with young teammates. He’s adaptable. Tom is the embodiment of staying current.
Ben and Favre never did. I am who I am, I’m not moving, I’m not improving, I’m not learning new stuff, and they both aged poorly.
Colin Cowherd, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, February 2021
Green Bay never sells its soul
Cowherd compared the Packers and the Steelers, both small market teams that approached their QB problems in very different ways,
Even for a small market, Green Bay never sells its soul. They moved out Favre, and they’ve already drafted Aaron Rodgers’ replacement. They don’t romanticize the past.
Green Bay never sells their soul. They have a soul and a value system.
Pittsburgh, a small market too, sold their soul for Big Ben. They knew he was a crappy practice player, they knew he wasn’t committed in the offseason, they know he doesn’t put in the film study time, but he was so talented, they appeased him. They placated him, they let him get away with it, and now they’re trapped.
Green Bay’s not trapped. Pittsburgh is.
Colin Cowherd, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, February 2021
Cowherd is right, and at least one Pittsburgh personality has been criticizing the Steelers — and like many, is predicting a woeful 2021 season.
They have to rebuild — without Roethlisberger. Try Mason Rudolph for a year, and see if he can do the job behind what will probably be a weak offensive line.
Use their first draft pick on the best offensive lineman they can find. Preferably a center, but anyone will do.
Their problems with the running game had to do with Roethlisberger not calling running plays. They averaged 130 rushing yards a game through their first seven games, and then went into the tank.
In reality, the problems start at the top, and it may be time to move Art Rooney II to chair of the board and bring in a new CEO.
They are, indeed, “Trapped.”
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