Manning, Roethlisberger meet again
Both drafted in 2004, QBs have followed similar paths to greatness in the NFL
PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning have been tightly linked for over a decade.
Taken 11 picks apart in the 2004 NFL draft, the quarterbacks have spent the past dozen years watching each other play, each measuring his own accomplishments against his counterpart’s.
The resumes are nearly identical. Two Super Bowl victories and four Pro Bowls apiece. A steady ascension into the upper stratosphere of the NFL record books. Both are already in the top 10 in career touchdown passes, with Roethlisberger on the cusp of joining Manning in the top 10 in all-time passing yards. Just don’t call it a rivalry. They take the same field for just the fourth time as professionals today when Manning and the streaking New York Giants (8-3) visit Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5), but the focus will be on keeping pace in a frenetic playoff race, not trying to match each other’s stats.
“I don’t know if there is any extra motivation,” Roethlisberger said. “Just trying to win a football game against one of the best teams in football should be motivation enough.”
In an alternate universe, Roethlisberger might have been the guy behind center wearing Big Blue.
For a few minutes during draft day in 2004, he thought he was heading to New York with the fourth overall pick. Instead, the Giants took Philip Rivers, then shipped Rivers to San Diego as part of a deal that sent Manning — the top overall pick — to New York. Roethlisberger, wearing a black pinstripe suit with a gold tie, heard his name called a little over an hour later when Pittsburgh used a first-round pick on a quarterback for just the fifth time in franchise history.
He doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about what might have been. Neither does Manning.
“You always want your quarterback draft class to be well thought of and respected down the road,” Manning said. “You hear about the ’83 draft class and other certain years. You want to be thrown in that mix someday.”
Just not yet — they’re both in their mid-30s and signed through the rest of the decade. After that, they might reunite again one day at the Hall of Fame.
“Hopefully that’s a long way Roethlisberger said.
NOTES: Giants coach Ben McAdoo grew up in Homer City, Pa., an hour east of Pittsburgh. This isn’t the first time he’s gone up against his childhood team. His family put together half-Steelers/halfGreen Bay Packers jerseys for the 2011 Super Bowl when McAdoo was the tight ends coach for Green Bay. A win today would make him the first rookie coach to win seven consecutive games since Jim Harbaugh with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 . ... The game will feature two of the NFL’s best wide receivers in Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. Brown’s 10 touchdown receptions are tied for the NFL lead; Beckham is tied for fourth with eight. Both also return punts . ... Since the Steelers moved to the AFC in the 1970 merger, they have hosted the Giants just three times: 1971, 1991 and 2008. Associated Press reporter Tom Canavan contributed to this article. off,” W 9 7 6 3 L 2 4 5 8 T 0 0 0 0 PT. .818 .636 .545 .273 PF 293 249 281 196 PA 197 240 236 266