The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t won a Super Bowl since 2008, but they’ve certainly had seasons where it’s looked like they could win it all. The 2010 season where they lost the Super Bowl is the most prominent example, but there were a few seasons after that where the Steelers looked like true contenders. One of their best chances came in 2015, a season marked by countless injuries to key players, but also maybe the best instance of Mike Tomlin squads refusing to quit. That season came to an end in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Denver Broncos, after almost everyone on the Steelers was left looking like a zombie. However, one former Broncos corner still looks at that game with pride because of how good Ben Roethlisberger was.
Chris Harris Jr. played corner in the NFL from 2011-2022, making the Pro Bowl four times and being named an All-Pro three times. He was a key member of the Broncos’ legendary defense in 2015, helping lead the team to a Super Bowl victory in Peyton Manning’s last season. Appearing on Bleav In Broncos, Harris spoke about the number of amazing quarterbacks the Broncos had to contend with that year. Roethlisberger was one of the names Harris made sure to specifically highlight because of how hard he was to play against, no matter the circumstances.
“Going through Big Ben, I hated Big Ben,” Harris said. “Big Ben was tough every year we had to face him.”
In that playoff game, Roethlisberger finished with 339 passing yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. However, keep in mind that Antonio Brown didn’t play after Vontaze Burfict knocked him out the previous week, and Roethlisberger was playing with basically one arm after his shoulder was injured in the previous game as well. That was all on top of the Steelers not having Maurkice Pouncey all year, being on their third and fourth running backs, and Alejandro Villanueva playing his first NFL season as an offensive tackle. Suffice to say, Roethlisberger did the impossible when the Steelers barely lost to the Broncos, 23-16.
What’s maybe even more important is that the Steelers had already beaten the Broncos that season. In Week 15, with Brown and Roethlisberger healthy and DeAngelo Williams at running back, the Steelers lit up the Broncos’ defense in a 34-27 win. That was the most points scored against the Broncos all year with Roethlisberger leading the way by throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those touchdown passes went to Brown, who was being guarded by Harris. Before that game, Harris hadn’t given up a touchdown in two years, so it makes sense that he would not look back fondly on his games against Roethlisberger.
Harris and the Broncos also got a healthy dose of Roethlisberger in 2012 and 2018. Both games were losses for the Steelers, but Roethlisberger still performed incredibly in both of them. Roethlisberger even terrorized Harris when he was with the Chargers in 2021, getting the last laugh in his final season by throwing for 273 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Steelers lost that game, 41-37, but in the chess match of Roethlisberger versus Harris, the Steelers quarterback emerged victorious.
It’s been a minute since the Steelers had a quarterback who inspires such fear and distaste in opposing defenses, but maybe Russell Wilson or Justin Fields can change that this season. Roethlisberger may not have won every game against Harris, but he still earned his respect, and that might mean just as much. In the face of adversity, Roethlisberger stood tall every time, embodying the Steelers Way. Maybe Roethlisberger would have a third Super Bowl ring if the Steelers managed to defeat the Broncos in 2015, but the NFL isn’t a world where hypotheticals can exist. In a few years, he’ll be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and there is no honor higher than that. Maybe he’ll even thank Harris for always bringing out the best in him.
