Is QB Ben Roethlisberger a Hall of Famer?

[TrickyDickie44]

The ONLY argument to keep Ben out would be if they keep Kurt Warner out.

EVERY eligible QB who has won three conference titles is in. If Warner and his basically six years of productivity get in? Ben's a lock.

[DBR96A]

...Ben hasn't been able to carry this team consistently when necessary(without a top 5 ppg defense) and he hasn't lead a top flight offense.

That's due to a dearth of talent on his side of the ball. His defense was great, but for many years the other 10 starters on offense were collectively below average.

Between 2008 and 2012, the Steelers had 11 different offensive linemen who started at least 10 games: Flozell Adams, Willie Colon, Trai Essex, Ramon Foster, Justin Hartwig, Chris Kemoeatu, Doug Legursky, Maurkice Pouncey, Jonathan Scott, Darnell Stapleton and Max Starks. Adams, Essex, Hartwig, Kemoeatu, Stapleton and Starks are all out of football now, and only Adams left on his own terms. Foster and Pouncey are the only ones still with the Steelers, and they're both starting. Of the eight who are neither retired nor with the Steelers, only Colon, Legursky and Scott were good enough to land roster spots on other teams, and only Colon is starting. Legursky and Scott are hanging onto their roster spots for dear life.

There were eight RBs who carried the ball for the Steelers between 2008 and 2012: Baron Batch, Najeh Davenport, Carey Davis, Jonathan Dwyer, Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Isaac Redman and Gary Russell. None of them are still with the Steelers. Only Dwyer is still in the league, and he's a backup. Batch, Davenport, Davis, Mendenhall, Moore, Redman and Russell are all out of football, and only Moore made it to his 30th birthday in the league. Between those eight RBs was a total of 23 player seasons for the Steelers, only two (both by Mendenhall) of which were 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

As for the WRs, the Steelers had six of them among the top three on the depth chart between 2008 and 2012: Antonio Brown, Santonio Holmes, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace, Hines Ward and Nate Washington. Only Brown is still with the Steelers, and he's a relatively recent phenomenon. Ward was a great WR, but is now retired, and was past his prime when Roethlisberger was entering his. Holmes and Wallace were exposed as overrated when they no longer had Roethlisberger throwing them the ball, and Sanders was let go this off-season without being offered a contract extension. Washington was more productive with another team, but that's because his new team promoted him from the slot to be the primary WR.

This just goes to show you how underwhelming the rest of the offense was for several years. You bet Roethlisberger thanked his defense a bunch, because he had little else without them.

[TrickyDickie44]

Ben's not asked to lead a top offense. Because as soon as his offense gives this defense (with all it's money invested in it) they take the air out of the football.

You want the offense to score more points? Get out of Ben's way, and give the offense more money.

[DBR96A]

While I know that the conversation is considered to be a bit of a slap in the face by many fans, we need a bit of perspective first. In the modern era, there have only been 23 QBs inducted into the HOF - [URL]http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/positions.aspx[/URL]

There are not as many inducted as you'd think. So, here is a little comparison in going by decades...

1970's

Bradshaw
Griese
Staubach
Tarkenton ('60's-'70's)
Fouts ('70's-'80's)

1980's

Fouts
Elway
Marino
Montana
Moon

1990's

Kelly
Aikman
Young

Not saying that Ben doesn't belong, just saying that it seems to be extremely tough for an NFL QB to get in.

If you look at it in 20-year increments (or "generations," so to speak), it gets better. There are currently 26 QBs in the Hall of Fame, and here's how it breaks down by generation, including the season each QB first entered the NFL:


1940s-1950s

- Sammy Baugh (1937)
- Sid Luckman (1939)
- Bob Waterfield (1945)
- Bobby Layne (194
- Y.A. Tittle (194
- Norm Van Brocklin (1949)
- Otto Graham (1950)


1960s-1970s

- Bart Starr (1956)
- Len Dawson (1957)
- Sonny Jurgensen (1957)
- Fran Tarkenton (1961)
- Joe Namath (1965)
- Bob Griese (1967)
- Roger Staubach (1969)
- Terry Bradshaw (1970)


1980s-1990s

- Joe Montana (1979)
- John Elway (1983)
- Jim Kelly (1983)
- Dan Marino (1983)
- Warren Moon (1984)
- Steve Young (1985)
- Troy Aikman (1989)
- Brett Favre (1991)


2000s-2010s

- Peyton Manning (199
- Tom Brady (2000)
- Drew Brees (2001)


The three QBs listed in the 2000s-2010s generation are all imminent Hall-of-Famers. All other QBs of this generation are still uncertain. There are also three QBs in the Hall of Fame who were in their primes on the cusp of two different generations: George Blanda (1950s-1960s), Johnny Unitas (1950s-1960s) and Dan Fouts (1970s-1980s).

Assuming that Aaron Rodgers becomes a certainty for the Hall of Fame as well, that more than likely leaves three or four spots open for Roethlisberger among this generation's QBs. I believe the next three seasons will be what ultimately gets him in.

[8467thekraken]

It's incredible that this is even an argument. Maybe that is what makes it interesting.

But no one seems to mention that Ben was Rookie of the year. The 2nd QB to win that accolade since the merger and the first to win it since 1970.

He also is the youngest QB to ever win the Super Bowl. A title he still owns after 10 years in the league.

The thing is, he has been kicking ass in this league ever since he stepped on the field. The consistency of his competitiveness and sometimes domination is impressive.

His remaining 5+ years will insure first ballot worthiness.

Whether he is Hall worthy is a rather silly discussion, IMO.

[TrickyDickie44]

It's only silly because people who pay attention to the history of the game, or actually pay attention to HOW Ben's teams have won games.

They rely on old, outdated, and not accurate descriptions, and reputations, to form their opinion.

Sad really.

[BURGH86STEEL]

That's due to a dearth of talent on his side of the ball. His defense was great, but for many years the other 10 starters on offense were collectively below average.

Between 2008 and 2012, the Steelers had 11 different offensive linemen who started at least 10 games: Flozell Adams, Willie Colon, Trai Essex, Ramon Foster, Justin Hartwig, Chris Kemoeatu, Doug Legursky, Maurkice Pouncey, Jonathan Scott, Darnell Stapleton and Max Starks. Adams, Essex, Hartwig, Kemoeatu, Stapleton and Starks are all out of football now, and only Adams left on his own terms. Foster and Pouncey are the only ones still with the Steelers, and they're both starting. Of the eight who are neither retired nor with the Steelers, only Colon, Legursky and Scott were good enough to land roster spots on other teams, and only Colon is starting. Legursky and Scott are hanging onto their roster spots for dear life.

There were eight RBs who carried the ball for the Steelers between 2008 and 2012: Baron Batch, Najeh Davenport, Carey Davis, Jonathan Dwyer, Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Isaac Redman and Gary Russell. None of them are still with the Steelers. Only Dwyer is still in the league, and he's a backup. Batch, Davenport, Davis, Mendenhall, Moore, Redman and Russell are all out of football, and only Moore made it to his 30th birthday in the league. Between those eight RBs was a total of 23 player seasons for the Steelers, only two (both by Mendenhall) of which were 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

As for the WRs, the Steelers had six of them among the top three on the depth chart between 2008 and 2012: Antonio Brown, Santonio Holmes, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace, Hines Ward and Nate Washington. Only Brown is still with the Steelers, and he's a relatively recent phenomenon. Ward was a great WR, but is now retired, and was past his prime when Roethlisberger was entering his. Holmes and Wallace were exposed as overrated when they no longer had Roethlisberger throwing them the ball, and Sanders was let go this off-season without being offered a contract extension. Washington was more productive with another team, but that's because his new team promoted him from the slot to be the primary WR.

This just goes to show you how underwhelming the rest of the offense was for several years. You bet Roethlisberger thanked his defense a bunch, because he had little else without them.

Ben's done some great things within the confines of the team. Individually, his play wasn't up to the level of expectations or what I envisioned he would become.

Everyone's fault but the QB's when the offense underachieved? Ben's play was below average at times too. The thing that has hurt Ben the most throughout his career was the inconsistency in which he played QB. There were things that Ben could had done better to make the players around him even better. Ben lead teams never made the playoffs without the aid of a top 5 ppg defense.

The thing is, Ben took a step back from the Ben we used to know. He's had trouble driving the offense down the field to win games at the end in the past two seasons. The team counted on Ben to drive the offense down the field to win close games in the past.

The offense was never a top 5 scoring offense with Ben at QB. That falls directly at the feet of Ben.

Early in his career, Ben didn't put in the necessary work to elevate himself to be the best QB he could be. As a result, the offense never reached it's potential. I don't believe Ben ever reached his potential on a consistent enough basis. Ben was so intent on doing things his way. As a result, Ben's HOF status is still up in the air after 10 years in the league. The same can be said for Eli Manning.

[MrSandman]

The offense was never a top 5 scoring offense with Ben at QB. That falls directly at the feet of Ben.

You're nuts. They don't TRY to be a top 5 offense, because the minute they have a big lead in the 4th? They run the ball.

Early in his career, Ben didn't put in the necessary work to elevate himself to be the best QB he could be.

You're a liar. Early in Ben's career it was Whiz who basically treated Ben like a slave: Do what I tell you and shut up. Ben used to get the game plan from Whiz on Wednesday, when Arians took over he would get the rough draft on Monday, and then Ken Anderson would fax him more Monday night.

Only in Pittsburgh can a 4th year player DESIGN AN ENTIRE PLAYBOOK, and yet his work ethic is somehow questioned.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

I don't know if Ben will make it to the HOF, but I shudder to think where this team would be this season without him. And I agree with the OPs, I don't think the Steelers would have made it to their last three Super Bowls without him. To me, championships ought to trump a lot of the other "statistics."

Here's hoping Ben picks up a couple more rings with the B & G, and cements his status.

[MrSandman]

His status is cemented as sad as it is for some to accept.

History says three conference titles puts you in. And the minute Kurt Warner gets in? Ben will be a lock.

[RuthlessBurgher]

You're nuts. They don't TRY to be a top 5 offense, because the minute they have a big lead in the 4th? They run the ball.



You're a liar. Early in Ben's career it was Whiz who basically treated Ben like a slave: Do what I tell you and shut up. Ben used to get the game plan from Whiz on Wednesday, when Arians took over he would get the rough draft on Monday, and then Ken Anderson would fax him more Monday night.

Only in Pittsburgh can a 4th year player DESIGN AN ENTIRE PLAYBOOK, and yet his work ethic is somehow questioned.

Can you at least TRY not to make it so blatantly obvious who this is that keeps coming back again and again under new names? Pathetic, really.

[bostonsteeler]

His status is cemented as sad as it is for some to accept.

History says three conference titles puts you in. And the minute Kurt Warner gets in? Ben will be a lock.

Gotta agree with Crash here.

[Shawn]

Tis the season, for "old new" members.

[Slapstick]

Can you at least TRY not to make it so blatantly obvious who this is that keeps coming back again and again under new names? Pathetic, really.

No, no he can't...

Ego will not allow it...

[Slapstick]

You're a liar. Early in Ben's career it was Whiz who basically treated Ben like a slave: Do what I tell you and shut up. Ben used to get the game plan from Whiz on Wednesday, when Arians took over he would get the rough draft on Monday, and then Ken Anderson would fax him more Monday night.

When does Todd Haley send it to him?