Fansided

Ranking the 30 Best NFL QB-WR duos in the modern era

By Brad Weiss

ANAHEIM, CA - CIRCA 1991:Joe Montana (16) of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Jerry Rice (80) on his TD catch against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium circa 1991 in Anaheim,California on November 25th 1991. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - CIRCA 1991:Joe Montana (16) of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Jerry Rice (80) on his TD catch against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium circa 1991 in Anaheim,California on November 25th 1991. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 09: Antonio Brown #84 and Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of their NFL football game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 9, 2018, in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 09: Antonio Brown #84 and Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of their NFL football game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 9, 2018, in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

30 Best NFL QB-WR duos in the modern era

No. 11: Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown

Long before Antonio Brown was ripping off his uniform and storming out of MetLife Stadium during an NFL game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was an elite wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, the combination of Brown and Ben Roethlisberger lit the NFL on fire, putting together a nine-year run that is pretty hard to duplicate.

In his nine seasons with Big Ben as his QB, AB went over 1,000 yards seven times, and he would have had eight if an ankle sprain did not rob him of three games in 2012. Incredibly, AB had six straight seasons of over 100 catches, and he twice led the NFL in receiving yards with Big Ben throwing him the ball.

During their tenure together, the Steelers were one of the premier teams in the AFC, consistently making the playoffs under head coach Mike Tomlin. All told, the two played in 120 games together, connecting on over 800 receptions, better than 10,000 yards, and 78 touchdowns, mind-blowing statistics in any era.

Since their breakup, AB has seen his career going down a terrible slope, seriously affecting whether or not he is going to get into the Hall of Fame. Big Ben, on the other hand just finished out his career in Pittsburgh, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

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