Will Ben Roethlisberger miss the Hall of Fame on the first ballot under the new voting rules?
I’m sure Ben Roethlisberger was just as surprised as the voters were when the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced a class of just four members. That included only three modern-era candidates and excluded all first-time eligible players.
Among the first-time eligibles who failed to secure a Hall of Fame spot was Luke Kuechly, the stud inside linebacker. His exclusion makes him, in my mind, the poster boy for the Hall of Fame’s new voting procedure. And that new voting procedure may see Ben Roethlisberger follow Eli Manning in missing out on the first ballot, too.
In previous years, the voters trimmed a list of 15 finalists down to 10, then to five. They then voted individually on the five remaining candidates, needing 80 percent to get in. Now, they cut the group from 15 to seven and vote for their top five, still needing 80 percent. When voting for fewer slots than options, it’s very difficult for more than three to get the requisite number of votes.
Arguably, Ben Roethlisberger has a better chance than even Luke Kuechly, but there is the case against. Consider the fact that Roethlisberger made only six Pro Bowls in his 18-year career. While he was the Offensive Rookie of the Year, he never made an All-Pro list, not even second team. And he never even sniffed an Offensive Player of the Year or NFL MVP award. While he won two Super Bowls, he never won a Super Bowl MVP award.
Ben Roethlisberger has the statistics, of course, with 64,088 passing yards and 418 touchdowns. But at what point was he ever one of the league’s greatest quarterbacks during his career? Was he ever better than Payton Manning, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees? He lost to Aaron Rodgers in the Super Bowl, and his defense helped him win his first two.
Still, Ben Roethlisberger ultimately has two rings and 13 postseason wins. Not many players have more than that in either category. And he has 36 postseason touchdown passes, as well as a signature play. Signature plays are important to voters, whether they should be or not. But will that be enough for him to get 80 percent of the votes in a seven-man pool?
That’s assuming he makes the final seven to begin with. When Ben Roethlisberger is eligible in 2027, so too will Antonio Brown, Adrian Peterson, Richard Sherman, and Rob Gronkowski. Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Maurkice Pouncey, Philip Rivers, and others are eligible for the first time in 2026. And Luke Kuechly, Eli Manning, Marshal Yanda, Earl Thomas, Joe Staley, Marshawn Lynch, Terrell Suggs, and others are still out there.
The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defense matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. Do they still believe in Russell Wilson, and/or Justin Fields, or do they want another solution? There are other major decisions to make, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?
The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football.
