Everyone knows who Ben Roethlisberger is. But through the lens of the best of all time, Roethlisberger is generally excluded from the conversation. For Chris Simms, Big Ben should be part of the club. Before kicking off his 2024 quarterback rankings on his Wednesday podcast, Simms began the show by praising Roethlisberger’s career.
“I got flack about it at times with Ben Roethlisberger through my career, early on in my media career. In the pantheon of all-time great quarterbacks, and I think we had a few discussions with people here on our podcast, I think Ben Roethlisberger is way better than people give him credit for in the pantheon.”
Roethlisberger’s resume is unquestionably impressive. Part of a historically good 2004 class that saw Eli Manning and Philip Rivers get picked ahead of him, Roethlisberger turned in a Hall of Fame career. He went to three Super Bowls, won two rings, and his numbers were impressive. Twice, he led the NFL in passing yards, and he’s high on several all-time charts.
Ben Roethlisberger All-Time Ranks
Passing Yards – Fifth (64,088)
Passing Touchdowns – Eighth (418)
Game-Winning Drives – Tied-Third (53)
Fourth Quarter Comebacks – Third (41)
Regular Season Wins – Fifth (165)
Roethlisberger’s problem was competing with two other quarterbacks who are held in even higher regard.
“He got stuck in a generation of exploding offenses and some special quarterbacks that take away his luster. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Brett Favre. He was sandwiched between all of them. Aaron Rodgers.”
Brady is considered the near-unanimous greatest quarterback ever, with six Super Bowl rings to boast about. Manning is thought to be the smartest quarterback to play. He was more marketable than Roethlisberger, and he is still one of the biggest sports celebrities today.
Roethlisberger was more freestyle with the sandlot mentality he displayed during the first half of his career. He was big and strong, and the play was never over.
“When you break down Top 40 quarterbacks…making plays that aren’t there to be had. Doing more than what’s available on the field. Ben Roethlisberger was a master at that. I mean, a master.”
Roethlisberger routinely got himself out of situations most quarterbacks would be sacked in. He shook off defenders, threw the ball from impossible angles, ran across the field on plays that would take well over five seconds, and fought until the end to find an open receiver. It got him into trouble at times, but more often than not, it worked.
But what’s just as impressive is how Roethlisberger’s game evolved. In his 30s, without the mobility he once had, he became a great pocket passer, too, and his game became more refined. It wasn’t until his knees were completely shot, unable to move at all, that his career began its descent.
“I do think he gets lost in the shuffle a little bit sometimes with the all-time greats,” Simms said.
Simms started the show with audio of his camp interaction with Roethlisberger, quizzing him about how he gripped the football and his training program. Roethlisberger laughed and said he didn’t do any of those things.
In that sense, he was one of the last “old-school” quarterbacks to play in the NFL. These days, every quarterback has a personal coach, a rigid program, and NFL tech helps players study and grow. That’s not a knock, it’s just an evolution. Roethlisberger came from the era before when guys like him and Favre willed their way to winning, harkening back to the days of Johnny Unitas and Terry Bradshaw. And Simms is tipping his cap.
