Ben Roethlisberger is throwing touchdowns at Acrisure Stadium again. But Russell Wilson and Justin Fields won’t have any additional competition. Roethlisberger was one of several ex-Steelers to participate in Tuesday’s Resilience Bowl, hosted by Troy Polamalu and wife Theodora.
As the Steelers’ YouTube account shared, Roethlisberger tossed touchdowns to WR Hines Ward, RB Jerome Bettis, and even one to OLB James Harrison.
Roethlisberger used his patented pump fake to open up Hines Ward and hit him over the middle for a short score. His second found an open Bettis in the left flat. And his third was more of vintage Roethlisberger, dropping side arm to squeeze a throw to Harrison just over the goal line.
In his career, Roethlisberger threw 41 of his 418 career regular season touchdown passes to Ward. In fact, his second career touchdown pass landed in Ward’s hands in Roethlisberger’s 2004 debut (Antwaan Randle El caught his first). The only player he threw more touchdowns to was Antonio Brown’s 74. TE Heath Miller matched Ward’s 41 total. WR Mike Wallace (29) and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (21) round out the top five.
Ben Roethlisberger never threw a touchdown pass to Bettis, who only caught three of them in his career and none after 1997. Wasn’t exactly his game, obviously. And Harrison, clearly, caught his first, too. He joins a list that includes RB Verron Haynes, WR Justin Hunter, and TE David Johnson as players to catch exactly one touchdown from Roethlisberger.
The Bowl was capped off by the 7 on 7 flag football game. It featured a slew of former Steelers, many of whom attended Pittsburgh’s afternoon practice, with celebrities like actor and Pittsburgh native Billy Gardell. The team’s rookie class was also on-hand, getting some coaching from Ward, now Arizona State’s wide receivers coach.
Proceeds from the night will go towards the Neighborhood Resilience Project. By all appearances, the night was a success and opens the door for Polamalu to hold the event next season, too. Polamalu sent out a message thanking Steelers’ Nation for their support leading up the event and then showing out tonight.
