Former Steelers Super Bowl Champion Tells The Uncomfortable Truth About Ben Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had quite an interesting, drama-filled few weeks. Many assumed the headlines would still be dominated by Mike Tomlin stepping away and Mike McCarthy becoming just the fourth head coach in franchise history since 1969. Instead, the spotlight shifted fast, and not because of anything happening on the field.

Former Steelers great linebacker Joey Porter Sr. ignited the fire with aggressive remarks about his former teammate and Steelers legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The comments spread quickly and triggered a wave of reactions from other former Steelers and players around the league. Ryan Clark was among those pushing back, calling out what he viewed as unnecessary nonsense and drama across social media.

Then came perhaps the most uncomfortable perspective. While speaking on his podcast with Joe Haden, Steelers Super Bowl champion James Harrison weighed in with a brutally honest take on Roethlisberger, whom he repeatedly referred to as 'Seven.' Harrison did not deny the tension or personality issues, but instead framed them as a byproduct of early success, superstardom, and ego, offering a rare mix of accountability and context that only a former teammate could provide.

"I do not think Ben is a bad teammate because I have a good relationship with Ben," Harrison said to Joe Haden while speaking on his podcast. "I can say this because I talk to Ben, this is not gonna be news to him. Seven can be an as*****, that is facts. Ok? When Ben came in, this man went 13-1 as a rookie. As a rookie starter. The team was 15-1, his second season he won a Super Bowl. The youngest quarterback to ever do it, 23."

Harrison made it clear his comments were not coming from a place of resentment, but from long-standing familiarity and mutual respect. 

He stressed that his bluntness was rooted in truth, not malice, and that Roethlisberger himself would not be surprised by what was said next.

"That is when Seven was born," Harrison said. "He became the youngest quarterback to ever win the Super Bowl. H*** yeah, that is gonna stroke my ego and give me delusions of grandeur."

In Harrison’s mind, it made sense why Roethlisberger carried himself the way he did when he was drafted and first entered the NFL. He quickly experienced the pinnacle of the sport, and that kind of early success likely made it difficult for him to stay humble. 

Over the course of his 18 seasons in the league and in Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger matured, becoming both a better teammate and a better person. Of course, Porter didn’t fully witness that transformation as he left Pittsburgh shortly after winning a Super Bowl with Roethlisberger, even though he later returned in a coaching and mentoring role after his playing days for a time.

The Case For Giving Steelers Legendary QB Ben Roethlisberger Grace

At the end of the day, what Harrison said just makes sense. Roethlisberger wasn’t perfect; he could be a pain, ego-driven, maybe even an bad teammate at times, but he was human. 

He came in young, dominated the league immediately, and had to figure out life in the spotlight while carrying the weight of an entire city on his shoulders. 

Over time, he grew, learned, and became the teammate and leader the Steelers needed. Not everyone got to see that side of him, and some of the drama, like Porter’s callouts, just reminds us that greatness is messy, complicated, and always worth talking about.

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