Getty Ben Roethlisberger reacts during Steelers-Browns game in Cleveland.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger put a rather fitting end to his team’s 15-10 win over the Cleveland Browns on October 31. After Browns fans had filed sadly out of Cleveland’s FirstEnergy Stadium and Steelers fans happily remained, Roethlisberger found a young fan in the stands and presented him with his game gloves.
Waving and clenching his fists in victory, Roethlisberger then exited through the tunnel he had braved more than a dozen times over his 17-year career.
Could this time have been his last?
ALL the latest Steelers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Steelers newsletter here!
Big Ben’s Last Game in Cleveland?
Not only is that Steelers fan lucky to have been bestowed Ben Roethlisberger’s game gloves, but the gloves could bear even greater significance come January.
The future Hall of Fame quarterback is not under contract beyond the 2021 NFL season, and it’s possible we just witnessed the last game Roethlisberger ever plays in Cleveland.
If Roethlisberger does choose to hang up his cleats at the season’s end, he’ll have left Cleveland on a high note, unlike Pittsburgh’s former center Maurkice Pouncey.
Steelers fans remember all-too-well the sad scene that was Roethlisberger consoling his best friend and “comfort blanket” following their embarrassing 48-37 defeat at the hands of the Browns in the wild-card round of the 2020 playoffs.
One month later, Pouncey announced his retirement after 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steelers Report Card
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo gave high marks across the board to the Black and Gold for its triumph in Cleveland. The only grade below a B was given to the special teams unit for their overall lackluster effort. Pittsburgh’s punter Pressley Harvin was inconsistent — the poor guy had never been a kicker in his life — and the Steelers return game continues to be unimpressive.
Love the reaction of Cam Heyward to what transpired after Boswell left game:
“What a wild end to the first half? We didn’t make it easy on ourselves. Boz goes down, and I see Pressley start kicking kickoffs. I was like, ‘Oh, hell.'”
Fittipaldo even awarded a B grade to head coach Mike Tomlin, despite his pathetic decision to fake a field goal and put his Pro Bowl kicker Chris Boswell in harm’s way. The fake was a fail and Boswell exited the game with a concussion. Instead of three points on the drive, the Steelers walked away with zero. The only redeeming factor is that the blunder didn’t affect the outcome of the game. As Fittipaldo wrote, “Had the Steelers lost, the decision would have been talk-show fodder for a full seven-day news cycle.”
The next battle for the Steelers is a Monday Night Football matchup with the 3-5 Chicago Bears at Heinz Field on November 8. The Justin Fields-led team has dropped three games in a row, while Pittsburgh is riding a three-game win streak.
Follow the Heavy on Steelers Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
ALSO READ:
• Stephen A. Smith Comes to Mike Tomlin’s Defense: ‘Bunch of Racist A** People Out There’
• Steelers Have ‘Listened & Engaged’ on Trade Calls for Pro Bowler: Report
• Steelers Looking to Avoid (Bad) History Against Browns QB Baker Mayfield