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Ben Roethlisberger had a controversial NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet all the controversy happened early on in his career, so younger fans may be unaware of how polarizing the quarterback was in 2000s and early 2010s.
The most notable controversy had to do with multiple sexual assault allegations against the quarterback. His off-the-field issues somehow went away with only a minor suspension in 2010.
But he also had issues on the field and in the building. Former NFL player and current analyst Ross Tucker appeared on the Dan Patrick Show and revealed just how much Roethlisberger matured as his career went on. He said:
"The thing that jumps out to me is just how much he matured on and off the field during his career. I mean, when he was first there, and I know you know this because you talk to enough people, but I'm going to say he was the last guy to get there and the first guy to leave, that's what I was told."
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Tucker added:
"And some of the years I was told that his weight would get up there during the season to to 260, 270, 275. And I remember distinctly thinking, there's no way this guy plays more than like 10 years. What a terrible combination of not watching what you eat and your weight going ballooning up, and you don't put the time in, to really be able to excel with the mental aspect of the game."
An NFL quarterback is supposed to be the first to show up and the last to leave, not the other way around. This revelation from Tucker makes it that much more impressive to know Roethlisberger won a Super Bowl in his second NFL season.
Ben Roethlisberger was not a hard worker to begin his career
Tucker's words point to the reality that Roethlisberger was relying on his pure ability to succeed, over extra work in meetings or watching film. He even showed up out of shape and still led the Steelers to two Super Bowls before 2010.
Some players are simply gifted and he was one of them. The problem is that this lack of attention to his own health could have led to him dealing with so many injuries throughout his career. Still, he retired as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. There was not much more for him to accomplish throughout his Steelers career.
The quarterback's legacy will remain a complicated one as time goes on and this story from Tucker will only add to the polarizing debate. Young quarterbacks coming into the NFL can now use it as a cautionary tale to ensure they have long and successful careers without causing controversy early on. Not everyone is as talented as Roethlisberger was to overcome the laziness.
