Ben Roethlisberger Blames Steelers Playoff Struggles on Selfish Players

The Pittsburgh Steelers future Hall of Famer says things changed the last few years.

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't seen a playoff win since 2016, and their recent struggles have raised eyebrows on why they can't execute come the postseason. 

To future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger, it has something to do with what each player is looking for in those big games. Speaking with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ron Cook, Big Ben said he was lucky to play with unselfish players early in his career, but something changed at the end. 

"I feel like the game has changed. I feel like the people have changed in a sense," Roethlisberger said. "Maybe it’s because I got spoiled when I came in. The team was so important. It was all about the team. Now, it’s about me and this, that and the other.

"I might be standing on a soapbox a little bit, but that’s my biggest takeaway from when I started to the end. It turned from a team-first to a me-type attitude. It was hard. It’s hard for these young guys, too. Social media. They’re treated so well in college. Now, this new NIL stuff, which is unbelievable. They’re treated so special. They’re coddled at a young age because college coaches need them to win, too. I know coach [Terry] Hoeppner never coddled me [at Miami of Ohio]. Neither did [Bill] Cowher."

Which players Roethlisberger is referring to unknown, but he certainly experienced change in his final few seasons. Since his last playoff win, Cam Heyward is one of few leaders on the team who is still around. The rest are new, younger players, who might be looking for more than some wins.

The Steelers will be looking for new leadership this season, and with Roethlisberger highlighting some selfishness, it'll be interesting to see how the dynamic of the team looks in 2022. 

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