The 2004 season was a historic one for the Pittsburgh Steelers, largely due to the birth of a legend at the quarterback position.
Of course, the 2004 season was Ben Roethlisberger’s rookie season, a year where the No. 11 overall pick out of Miami (Ohio) stepped into the starting lineup midway through Week 2 due to an injury to Tommy Maddox. He immediately went on a run, helping lead the Steelers to a 15-1 record and an appearance in the AFC Championship Game.
Though he wasn’t asked to do as much as rookie quarterbacks typically are asked to do nowadays, Roethlisberger was forced into a key role quickly due to not only Maddox’s injury in front of him, but Charlie Batch’s preseason injury as well. The plan was for Roethlisberger to be the QB3 as a rookie and not see the field.
But once he saw the field, his natural talents took over and created some magical moments.
Averaging just 23.3 drop backs per game in that 2004 season, Roethlisberger was incredibly efficient, even while freelancing and making plays on broken plays. Roethlisberger ranked second in the NFL that year with 8.9 yards per pass attempt and was fourth with a completion rate of 66%. He finished the season with 17 touchdown passes with 11 interceptions while throwing for 2,621 yards, winning the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
After taking over for Maddox in Week 2, Roethlisberger never lost as the starter in the regular season, going 13-0. He wasn’t just a game manager for the Steelers either. As a rookie, Roethlisberger led five game-winning drives, showing Steelers fans and the rest of the NFL just what was ahead over the course of his career.
While he took 30 sacks as a rookie, Roethlisberger was special once the play broke down. His ability to maneuver in the pocket, shed tacklers with ease, keep his eyes downfield and make plays on the move set him apart and gave the Steelers’ offense that trump card.
Roethlisberger’s best game of the season came in Week 8 against the New England Patriots and Tom Brady at Heinz Field. The rookie threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns — both to Plaxico Burress — leading the Steelers to a 34-20 upset win, snapping New England’s 21-game winning streak.
In that game, the late, great Myron Cope proclaimed on the radio, “…Ben is for real. He’s gonna go to a Pro Bowl 90 times!”
Roethlisberger was for real. However, he went to the Pro Bowl just six times in his remarkable 18-year career that will have him be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2027 when he becomes eligible. His first Pro Bowl trip came in 2007, but then he had to wait until 2011 to go back for a second time.
From 2014-17, Roethlisberger made his final four trips to the Pro Bowl.
One of the more iconic plays from that rookie season remains his 37-yard touchdown pass to Burress on the move to his right against the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, which was just his second career game and start at home. Roethlisberger evaded the rush and fired a dart downfield to Burress, who had gotten behind the defense as the play broke down.
A thread for yinz #Steelers fans with short memories about Big Ben:
Versus Browns Week 5 – 2004 : Ben Roethlisberger pass complete to Plaxico Burress for 37 yards, touchdown
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) October 4, 2019
That type of play would become a staple of Roethlisberger’s career, helping create the legend of Big Ben.
Even announcer Gus Johnson knew it that day.
“…Now flushed out, throws on the run, Burress is there, what a throw! Touchdown, Pittsburgh! And this Ben Roethlisberger has some magic in that right arm!”
Boy, did he, magic we’d be treated to for 18 years.
That rookie season was special, one of the best in NFL history.
