In Sunday’s Pittsburgh Steelers home win over the Cleveland Browns, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger improved his career record as a starter to 149-71-1 (.676), which is the third-best regular season mark in the NFL among active quarterbacks. Additionally, Roethlisberger’s 149 regular season wins are now fifth all-time in NFL history as he surpassed Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway (148) with the win against Cleveland.
Roethlisberger passing Elway in wins this past Sunday was probably significant to the Steelers quarterback. After all, that is why he wears the uniform number that he wears.
“That is why I wear 7,” Roethlisberger told the media ahead of the Steelers 2018 game against the Denver Broncos. “Because of him. A hero of mine growing up.”
Roethlisberger was asked about Elway at that time not only because the Steelers were about to play the Broncos, but also because he had just passed the Hall of Famer in game-winning drives in the team’s previous win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Anytime you get into the record books it’s humbling,” Roethlisberger said in 2018 about passing Elway in game-winning drives. “It means a lot when your name is as close as his, and then when you pass him, it’s just an honor.”
In case you forgot, Roethlisberger passed Elway on the NFL’s all-time passing yardage list in the Steelers 2018 home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Roethlisberger has also long passed Elway in most completions.
“He knows I wear 7 because of him,” said Roethlisberger. “To me it’s the same, I talk about those four quarterbacks, (Joe) Montana, (Dan) Marino, Elway and (Jim) Kelly, those four guys I was lucky to grow up watching them.”
About the only passing statistic that Roethlisberger has not passed Elway in is one that he hopes he never will and that’s interceptions. Elway threw 226 interceptions during his NFL career while Roethlisberger has thrown just 192 entering Week 7 of the 2020 season.
Like Elway, Roethlisberger has won two Super Bowls. With the Steelers entering Week 7 of the 2020 season with a 5-0 record, Roethlisberger is well on his way to possibly winning a third one and thus passing Elway in yet another category.
