After a Hall of Fame career, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. There was probably no one happier to hear that news than Baltimore Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey.
On his Punch Line Podcast, Humphrey called Roethlisberger one of the toughest quarterbacks he ever faced, even putting him above Tom Brady.
“Joe Burrow has cooked us,” Humphrey started off by saying. “Trevor Lawrence has cooked us. Big Ben has literally diced us up into a 20-slice pie.”
In order, Humphrey put Roethlisberger second on the list, only behind Kansas City Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes.
Drafted in 2017, Humphrey’s Ravens faced Roethlisberger eight times. Over that span, Baltimore only won one of those games, Week 4 of the 2018 season, with Pittsburgh victors in the other seven contests. Over those games, Roethlisberger threw a combined 12 touchdowns to just four interceptions. His best performance came in 2017, the Steelers trailing 38-29 with six minutes left. Roethlisberger led three fourth-quarter scoring drives including the game-winner that set up Chris Boswell’s kick, putting Pittsburgh on top 39-38. Roethlisberger threw for 506 yards and two touchdowns that day.
For his entire NFL career, Roethlisberger went 17-10 against the Ravens, throwing 43 touchdowns to 25 interceptions. He didn’t always have success against Baltimore and some of his most painful moments came against them. He was leveled by Bart Scott, had his nose broken by Haloti Ngata, and endured a Wild Card playoff loss to them in 2014.
Still, guys like Roethlisberger made the Steelers/Ravens rivalry what it was. Supreme talents and ultra competitors who had respect for each other. Roethlisberger versus Terrell Suggs. Ed Reed versus Hines Ward. Hall of Fame defenders like Ray Lewis and Troy Polamalu who were always around the ball.
But as Humphrey’s list indicates, a reminder of his general youth, it skews more towards new-era quarterbacks. Players like Joe Burrow and the emerging Trevor Lawrence. Names who will dominate the landscape for the next decade, just as Roethlisberger did during his time in the league. For the Steelers, it’ll be Kenny Pickett taking on Humphrey for hopefully the next decade.
You can check out the entire podcast below.
