As you have likely heard by now, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was recently suspended six games by the NFL after allegations of sexual assault at a Milledgeville, Ga., nightclub. Roethlisberger, who will undergo a league-mandated “professional behavior evaluation,” is also the subject of a civil suit alleging he sexually assaulted a casino host in Lake Tahoe in 2008. Roethlisberger has not been charged in either incident, but team president Art Rooney was reportedly “furious” after learning of Roethlisberger’s antics in Georgia, according to a column published by SI.com’s Peter King. Many fans in Pittsburgh have called for the Steelers to part ways with Roethlisberger, and failing to do so would set a dangerous precedent for an organization that prides itself on being a model franchise. Despite his on-field success, these latest allegations should spell the end of Roethlisberger’s time in the Steel City.
Rewind back to the 2004 NFL draft. Roethlisberger, who had made a name for himself at Miami University (Ohio) after breaking several school and Mid-American Conference passing records, was the third quarterback drafted, behind Eli Manning (Ole Miss) and Philip Rivers (North Carolina State). Many analysts had suggested that Roethlisberger, drafted 11th overall, was the best QB in the draft, and Roethlisberger did nothing to suggest otherwise, leading the Steelers to a 15-1 2004 season after taking over for Tommy Maddox in Week 2, and a Super Bowl title the following year.
Fast forward to 2010. Roethlisberger has led the team to two Super Bowl titles and a cumulative 64-31 record, including four double-digit win seasons, since taking over in 2004. He is also facing considerable criticism from the national media, his hometown fans, and the only NFL organization he has ever known. Prior to the owners’ meetings in Orlando, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told the NFL Network, “I’m highly concerned for our franchise and for Ben personally.” That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Full disclosure: Everyone who knows me or regularly reads this column knows I am a Ravens fan through and through, and so the prospect of Roethlisberger’s removal from the AFC North understandably excites me. But as much as I hate the Steelers, I have to admit—as any true football fan should—that the organization should be a model for the other 31 NFL teams. Save for an embarrassing 6-10 2003 season that enabled the Steelers to draft Roethlisberger, the Steelers are seemingly in the thick of the playoff race every year; even a five-game losing streak that lowered the team’s record from 6-2 to 6-7 wasn’t enough to completely sink the Steelers’ playoff hopes, as the team won its last three games and were not officially eliminated from the playoff race until Week 17, thanks to a 21-13 Ravens victory in Oakland.
But the Steelers need to keep the focus on what happens on the field, not off it. That’s becoming increasingly difficult in light of Roethlisberger’s recent antics, and that’s why the team needs to send Roethlisberger packing.
This situation has presented the Steelers with a golden opportunity to make a statement that “win at all costs” is not, and should not, be the mantra of professional sports teams. Keeping Roethlisberger on the roster and welcoming him back with open arms upon the conclusion of his suspension would show that teams are willing to place winning above all else, including the conduct of its players, and will tolerate unending off-field embarrassments in the name of winning a few games. By jettisoning Roethlisberger, the Steelers can make it clear that the honor of the franchise takes priority over winning, and provide a worthwhile example for the rest of the league to follow. We’ve seen the Steelers’ formula of a strong running game and impenetrable defense emulated by many a team since the end of the Steel Curtain dynasty of the 1970s—most notably the 2000 Ravens and their record-setting defense. The Steelers impact the rest of the league, as exemplified by the “Rooney Rule,” which requires teams with a head-coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate. Parting ways with Roethlisberger would, above all else, set a noble example that all other teams should follow, no questions asked.
Certainly, one must note that releasing a franchise quarterback such as Roethlisberger generally does not lead to success on the field in the short term, and the Steelers would be no exception to this if they run off Roethlisberger. In turn, it’s easy to argue that the losing that would ensue after Roethlisberger’s release would tarnish the Steelers’ image far more than some poor off-field behavior would, turning them into the Detroit Lions of the AFC. Well, unbeknownst to many, the Steelers were perpetually one of the worst teams in the NFL until the hiring of coach Chuck Noll in 1969. How many times do you hear people talking about their enviable run of mediocrity during the ’50s and ’60s? A few losses in the short term aren’t going to make people forget about one of the greatest dynasties in the history of professional sports.
Regardless of the final outcome of Roethlisberger’s legal saga, the time has come for the Steelers to do the right thing and make it clear they will not tolerate such disgraceful behavior from any player in the black and gold, let alone their franchise quarterback. No one likes to lose, and the inevitable drop-off in the standings could lead some to question whether running Roethlisberger out of town would be the right thing to do. But keeping him on the roster would embarrass the franchise in ways a few losing seasons can’t even begin to approach.
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