Fansided

Top 30 NFL players of the 21st century

By Jarrett Bailey

FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 24: Darrelle Revis #24 of the New York Jets reacts with Jordan Jenkins #48 before a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 24: Darrelle Revis #24 of the New York Jets reacts with Jordan Jenkins #48 before a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OHIO – NOVEMBER 28: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 28, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO – NOVEMBER 28: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 28, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

26. Ben Roethlisberger

The Steelers spent two decades looking for a franchise quarterback in the post-Terry Bradshaw era. After going through the likes of Bubby Brister and Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox, they drafted the 6-foot-5, 240 pound quarterback out of Miami University that would change their franchise.

Roethlisberger started his first game in Week 3 of 2004 after a Maddox injury, and the Steelers just kept winning. Pittsburgh went 13-0 with Roethlisberger as the starter and made it to the AFC Championship Game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Patriots.

The Steelers didn’t take long to get back to the Conference Championship Game, as they ran the table as a No. 6 seed in 2005 to win the Super Bowl, making Roethlisberger the youngest quarterback to win a ring at age 23.

Although the Steelers won two Super Bowls in Roethlisberger’s first five seasons, his best years came in the 2010s. Ben led the NFl in passing yards for the first time in 2014, throwing for 4,952 yards along with 32 touchdowns to just nine interceptions. He led the league in passing once again in 2018, eclipsing 5,000 yards for the first time.

There was a time where Ben seemed a little underrated when compared to Brady and Manning, but he has established a legacy for himself as one of the toughest quarterbacks in history, and one of the best gunslingers of all time.

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