Big Ben: Patriots have had Steelers’ number
The Steelers have more Super Bowl victories than any other team in the history of the NFL. They have six Lombardi trophies, one more than the 49ers and Cowboys, and two more than the Patriots, who will go for their fifth Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
But when it comes to recent history against the Patriots, at least one Steelers player — the most important — said the Steelers are like the “little brother trying to keep up with the big brother.”
Ben Roethlisberger was John Calipari’s guest Thursday on his weekly podcast and that’s how he described his view of the Patriots, a team that has beaten Roethlisberger twice in AFC title games and the Steelers three times since the start of the century.
“I’d say there is more respect than hatred,” Roethlisberger said. “I don’t think there is a hatred there. We’ve played them twice in my 13 years in the championship game. Obviously, they’ve gotten the better of us in two championship games.
They’ve kind of had our number. We’re like the little brother trying to keep up with the big brother, in a sense.”
Roethlisberger spoke on a number of topics, but Calipari did not ask Roethlisberger about his possible retirement.
• On the AFC championship: “When you move farther in the tournament, every mistake is magnified. When we played in that championship game, they didn’t make very many mistakes. They have to play a bad game and you have to play a good game. We were a very young team. It might have been a little overwhelming for some of them.”
• On why he didn’t go to Ohio State: “I took an unofficial visit to Ohio State. Coach [John] Cooper was there, and you would have thought I was greatest thing since sliced bread. You would have thought I was the greatest recruit in the world. He couldn’t wait for me to come. I saw him at the airport the next weekend when I was flying down to Duke. We’re talking seven days later, and he didn’t recognize me. He didn’t know who I was. That was the end of my Ohio State days. I was going on an official visit the next weekend and I canceled it.”
• On whether he ever changes play calls that come in: “I have had a play call come in and say, ‘ What in the world is that?’ I’ve had a play call come in that I’ve changed before. But you also have play calls that come in where you trust your guy. You trust his preparation and his knowledge. You have to trust that as well. Far more times I trust their calls than I change it or mix it up.”
Roethlisberger will be in California for the Super Bowl, and he said he will watch it. His pick: Patriots, 35, Falcons 20.
• NOTES — The Steelers announced on Thursday that they’ve re-signed longsnapper Greg Warren to a one-year contract. Warren played in all 16 regular season games in 2016, the seventh consecutive season he has done so. … Kicker Chris Boswell signed his one-year tender. He was an exclusive rights free agent and had to sign with the Steelers if he was offered a contract.