Ben Roethlisberger’s weekly 20-minute segment on 93.7 The Fan’s midday show in Pittsburgh could be coming to an end. The Ben Roethlisberger Show has regularly created headlines, but according to Matt Verderame of FanSided.com, the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback could be ready to avoid the airwaves for the good of the team.
During his segment on 93.7 The Fan, Roethlisberger’s honesty has led him to criticize teammates, coaches and reporters, even sharing injury information with the audience. Now, after a tumultuous year for the Steelers, Roethlisberger might not want to be so polarizing on the radio.
In 2017, after losing to the Patriots in an AFC Championship game, Big Ben contemplated retirement while on his radio show. Roethlisberger has questioned his offensive coordinator’s play calling, said his former wide receiver, Martavis Bryant had to toughen up and this year criticized his now ex-teammate, Antonio Brown’s route running.
“You have to know how to motivate different guys in different ways,” Roethlisberger told reporters last November. “I think that’s part of being a leader, being a captain, just understanding players. So sometimes you just grab them off to the side, and sometimes you have to be honest with them.”
It’s common for radio shows to have weekly player segments during the season, it’s just not common for them to say anything damning about the team. Eli Manning joins WFAN, Tom Brady is heard weekly on WEEI, but rarely do they make the headlines Roethlisberger did. Even with those consistent headlines, the Steelers still endorsed the radio segment.
“If our players were smart, they’d listen to him because he’s been there. He’s done it,” said Steelers GM Kevin Colbert about Roethlisberger’s radio candor last month. “He can tell them, ‘No guys, what you’re doing is or is not good enough to do this.’”
Big Ben has been heard on 93.7 The Fan for six seasons and while the team might not miss him returning for a seventh installment of The Ben Roethlisberger Show, the rest of us will.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
