Everyone has been waiting to hear what Ben Roethlisberger was going to say when he finally talked to the press. And the wait is over.
In an interview with KDKA-TV, in Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger spoke openly about his behavior, and what he needs to do to change many peoples opinions of him.
Roethlisberger admitted that his Big Ben persona had grown larger than it should have, and that his behavior off the field, though not criminal, was unacceptable in the eyes of Steelers Nation.
“Big Ben just kept building up. It ended up coming off the field. It kept taking over. Superman kept taking over Clark Kent and you just never saw who Ben Roethlisberger was any more,” Roethlisberger told KDKA-TV. “At the time, I didn’t see it. I was gaining everything but I was losing a lot of who I was raised to be. It got so overwhelming, it consumed me.”
Roethlisberger stated in his interview that he expected the Steelers fans to boo him this year, and that he only hopes that he can restore his image, and once again make the Steelers fans proud of him.
Roethlisberger stated “I’ve wanted to apologize to them (fans) for so many things. For being immature, for being dumb, for being young, for not knowing any better,” he told WTAE. “For getting caught up in everything that was thrown my way. … In my heart, I know I haven’t been the best person, the best quarterback for the Steelers, I’m not talking just on the field, I’m talking off the field.”
For those of you that have chosen to bash the Steelers and Roethlisberger over his actions, that is your choice.
Those of us that have supported him, are happy to hear OUR QUARTERBACK accept that he has made mistakes, and is ready to move on.
“Those chapters in my life, I’ve closed that book and I’m not opening them up,” he told WTAE. “It only matters what I do from here on out. That’s what I’m excited about—showing people, proving to people, fans, teammates, my family, the commissioner, everybody, who Ben Roethlisberger is. And that Ben is here to stay.”
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