Has Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger done enough already to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after his playing days are over?
In a recent all or nothing discussion revolving around the Class of 2004 quarterbacks on the NFL Network, current Hall of Famers Rod Woodson and Warren Sapp both weighed in with their thoughts on Roethlisberger’s chances and both believe he will need to accomplish more in order to get a bust in Canton.
Woodson on Roethlisberger:
“I really like Ben. I think he’s going to get better, I think his seasons are getting better. I think Todd Haley is going to help him open up the offense. His yardage is going to get better, his numbers are going to improve, but I think he’s going to be similar to Jim Plunkett – winning two Super Bowls. Or maybe if they win a couple of more, maybe then we can talk about it more, but I think he’s in that category right now of winning two Super Bowls, but not going into the Hall of Fame. So I like him a lot, but I still think he has a little more to prove for that.”
Sapp on Roethlisberger:
“I like him a lot, too. One of the toughest quarterbacks to get on the ground whenever you was hunting him in that pocket. But I go back to my criteria. Are you the finest at your position? Are you considered the best that the NFL has to offer and then are you carving out some years as the best? Ben Roethlisberger had a wonderful Super Bowl after the first one, where he had the worst quarterback rating of any winning quarterback. But he’s come back and played well, but it’s nothing for me. Until you’re number one on the list and hold that position for years and carve it out, no for me.”
According to Woodson and Sapp, Philip Rivers and Eli Manning both join Roethlisberger in the same boat. Being as Rivers hasn’t even made it to a Super Bowl, however, they really had no business discussing him in the same breath as Roethlisberger and Manning.
So has Roethlisberger done enough? Does he need to win one more Super Bowl or make it to at least one more? What’s needed if he doesn’t win another one?
