When a franchise icon speaks, Steelers Nation listens—and Ben Roethlisberger just shared his candid thoughts on Pittsburgh's latest quarterback project.
Since hanging up his cleats in 2022 after an illustrious 18-year career in the black and gold, the two-time Super Bowl champion hasn't held back when analyzing his former team's moves. On the latest episode of his podcast, "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger," Big Ben weighed in on the Steelers' third-round selection (76th overall) of former Penn State signal-caller Drew Allar—and his verdict was anything but decisive.
"This is one that I'm not sure yet if I love it or hate it—and hate's a strong word, there are a lot of good players you can get in the third round," Roethlisberger said, carefully choosing his words.
The six-time Pro Bowler, who led Pittsburgh to two Lombardi Trophies, acknowledged that Allar's college situation at Penn State may have limited his opportunities to shine. The Nittany Lions' stable of "stud" running backs, he noted, kept the ball on the ground more often than not, giving the young quarterback fewer chances to air it out.
"I don't watch a lot of Penn State games," Roethlisberger admitted. "When I did watch, he never jumped off the page to me. Is he big? Can he move? Can he throw? Yeah. But there was never a time where I was like, 'Whoa.'"
Roethlisberger's assessment comes with the perspective of someone who knows exactly what it takes to succeed under center in Pittsburgh. The Steelers' quarterback room has been a topic of intense discussion since his retirement, and adding Allar to the mix alongside current starter Kenny Pickett has fans buzzing about the future.
"This one, the jury's out for me right now," Roethlisberger concluded. "Again, there was nothing that jumped off the page for me. Whether that's good or bad, we'll see."
For Steelers fans, the message is clear: the verdict on Drew Allar is still pending. But with a legend like Roethlisberger watching closely, all eyes will be on that third-round pick when training camp rolls around.