| After a stellar college career at Miami (OH) University where he now holds every major passing record, Roethlisberger was taken in the 1st Rd. of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Slated to be a back-up, "Big Ben" was thrust into the lineup after former starter Tommy Maddox went down with an injury. He did not disappoint. Roethlisberger went on to win his first 14 starts for the Steelers, shattering the previous mark for the best start by a rookie (5-0). He also led the Steelers to consecutive wins over the then undefeated Patriots and Eagles, the first time a team had beaten two undefeated teams in a row mid-season. Big Ben led the Steelers to the AFC Championship game, coming up one game short of the Super Bowl. He did, however, set several NFL records during the season, including most wins by an NFL rookie quarterback, highest quarterback rating by an NFL rookie quarterback, and highest completion percentage by an NFL rookie quarterback. He was chosen, unanimously, as The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. In 2006, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to ever lead a team to a Super Bowl victory, which he did so in the Steelers' 21-10 triumph over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. This framed 8x10 photo is signed by Roethlisberger and comes with a BC Sports Certificate of Authenticity. |
