It didn’t take Ben Roethlisberger long to learn his first NFL lesson. Pressed into action far sooner than anyone anticipated, Roethlisberger replaced an injured Tommy Maddox during the team’s Week 2 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh’s first round pick of 2004, the goal was to sit Roethlisberger his rookie year and allow him to develop. Plans quickly changed, and Roethlisberger was thrown into the deep end. Roethlisberger would soon learn how to swim, leading the Steelers to a 15-1 record and the Super Bowl in his second year. But like any rookie, he took his lumps.
Appearing on former teammate Bruce Gradkowski’s Alpha 5 Method podcast Tuesday, Roethlisberger remembers the big mistake he made in his NFL debut.