Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer recently caused a lot of commotion with his criticism of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and how he usually treats an offseason from a conditioning standpoint. Glazer’s initial comments about Roethlisberger, which were made in response to a question he was asked during an online chat in The Athletic, resulted in him having to answer to them via a phone conversation with the unhappy quarterback. On Wednesday, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert was a guest on 105.9 The X and during the interview he was asked to comment on Glazer’s comments on Roethlisberger and if he ever recalls the quarterback’s offseason regimen being an issue in the past.
“No, and I think, you know, again, comments that are made, really, you see them, you hear them, but when you know what the truth is, you just kind of let it go,” Colbert said. “And, you know, I know where Ben is, I know where he’s been in his career and I’ve never worried about his conditioning. When he shows up at a training camp, he’s ready to go. And he knows how to prepare himself. The amount of work that he’s gotten in previous training camps, it’ll be different, again, whenever we get in, because of he’ll still be in a semi rehab state.”
Colbert’s response is not the least bit surprising. While the coronavirus pandemic has probably impacted Roethlisberger’s rehab when it comes to him possibly doing more at the team’s training facility, he’s still likely able to do everything he needs to do at the comfort of his own personal residence. Roethlisberger has already said that he’s already throwing several times a week as part of his rehab.
While the Steelers won’t have their on-the-field OTAs or minicamp this year, it’s not like Roethlisberger would have been able to do much during them had they even taken place like normal. It’s already evident that the Steelers will take it extremely easy on Roethlisberger when and f if training camp gets underway on time and more so than they usually do.
Regardless of what Glazer has said about Roethlisberger and what he usually does and doesn’t do when it comes to his offseason conditioning, Colbert seems unfazed as to what the Steelers quarterback will look like when he shows up at training camp this year.
“But I have no concerns about him and physical conditioning,” Colbert said Wednesday. “And I know that he could easily walk away from this game as well, but he’s choosing to continue to play it because I still think he really wants to prove and do more. To me, the guy’s got Hall of Fame credentials as he stands today, but that’s not enough for him. And that’s what, to me, that’s a mark of greatness.”
