Bill Cowher Admits Steelers Legend Would Ignore Messages Mid-Game After Ex-HC Confirmed Best QB Choice for Mike Tomlin

If you go back and watch any Pittsburgh Steelers game circa 2004 to 2006, you will be confused– Wasn’t that a stop? Why are they still running the ball on a second and long? Why are they not running the ball? And no one will blame you on that. That was the Bill Cowher-Ben Roethlisberger era for the Pitts. The old-school head coach of the veteran team wanted his QBs to play in a particular way. But bringing in the 11th overall pick in 2004 changed a lot of that for Cowher. But the QB’s “Streetball” that “Drove me (Cowher) crazy, crazy, crazy” wasn’t always that bad.

In fact, Ben’s need to work in his way got many wins to the table even if Cowher believed he was, “Getting away with it.” The best example of the No. 7 refusing to listen to his head coach came in the Super Bowl win XL, the only one for Cowher. On a third down play during the first-ever victory for Roethlisberger, Cowher was sure that his QB changed the play before running a key conversion. With the Pitts leading the game 21-10 over Seattle in the fourth quarter and 3:49 remaining on the clock, Ben’s quick thinking helped him convert a broken play into a game-winning move.

At that point, Ben could’ve done two things– either throw the ball to the RB Jerome Bettis or fake it to him and keep the ball with himself. The No. 7 of course chose the latter option as he ran across the yellow line after a fake turn and made a first down. For a moment there, Bill was annoyed with his second-year QB, and then, the cameras showed him throwing his hands in the air with a huge smile on his face thinking, “It was just like, damn I love you.” While the HC hated most of it that time, even called in his OC Ken Whisenhunt to be the good cop to his bad cop, he now laughs about it all, just like he did with Dan Patrick recently.

The Steelers HC for 15 years recently stopped by The Dan Patrick Show where while discussing QBs, the host asked him, “I think you gave us a story where Ben would act like he didn’t hear you.”

Laughing as he reminisced those times ten years ago, Bill told one instance of Ben’s clever ways of ignoring him mid-games. He said, “Yeah, that’s when he got way too comfortable. Like let me just do this. ‘I think my headphones are out.’ ‘No, they’re not.’ ‘So you and me skid that helmet’ I said, ‘The helmet’s fine’ I go, ‘Oh Ben, the helmet’s fine.’ He goes, ‘It just came back on’ I go, ‘Yeah, it came back on. It’s called selective hearing.'”

Remember the SB XL instance I told you? There were more. For most of his career with the Steelers, Ben extended plays, created out of the pocket, made something happen out of a play where he should’ve been sacked or thrown an incompletion. The best part about it was his instincts and Bill trusting him often led Pitts to several wins. In fact, Cowher got the taste of what his QB could do in the latter’s very first game in the NFL.

Joining the team in the Week 2 game against the Baltimore Ravens just before halftime, Tommy Maddox, the usual QB after Charlie Batch for the Steelers, also got injured following a hit by Bart Scott. Hence, Cowher had no choice but to send his rookie out on the field. With the clock reading 2:56, Ben threw a pick-six. Reason? Miscommunication. Ben thought it was a stop and he threw it with the game ending on the Raven’s side with 30-13.

Then against the Miami Dolphins next week, Ben had to start the game with the other two QBs ruled out. And they won. But the HC was done with the No. 7’s antics, and he called in his OC Ken.

He told his plan to Rich Eisen back in January on the Rich Eisen Show. “I remember sitting there with Ken Whisenhunt and I said, ‘You know what, Ken? I’m gonna pull him in and tell him he can’t continue to do it. He’s gotta go through his progressions. I want him to understand this is not sustainable.’ I said, ‘When I get done talking to him, can you tell him it’s okay, just keep doing what you’re doing.’ So it was good cop, bad cop.”

Top Comment by Reneeparks

Very much so he still got alot in him

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Cowher truly believed his theory of letting the rookies learn from their vets. And that was one of the major problems he faced with Roethlisberger because there was no time for that. He told Dan Patrick, “Probably just a level of play. I watched him play many big games, you’re the playing the back, I get it. It’s not a bad competition but it’s not the NFL. When he did play in those big games, he did play well. So, when we did got him, I just didn’t think it was fair to a young quarterback to throw them in there right away, Dan.”

As per his Bill’s revelations, Ben had a way of making the NFL games simpler, just like streetball. But that is not what NFL games are, they are not the college football games, this is serious business with experienced players. “The game is faster, you’re processing things more, it’s more complex, it’s a new system. I just think you wanna make sure that the quarterback is comfortable and that your football team is comfortable with that quarterback. So, I didn’t wanna set our team back by putting someone in who wasn’t ready to go in there and at the same time do I stunt his growth and development as a quarterback,” he added.

However, he had to let him play the third game of the season and the rookie did do some magic which continued for 17 years of his career, three of which he shared with Cowher. While Ben too believed that the head coach was being strict with him, in retrospect, he agreed that that is what got him to successes.

In February 2024, Ben made an appearance in the Alpha 5 Method podcast by Bruce Gradkowski where he shared his thoughts on Bill. He confessed, “He treated me like a crappy rookie. And he’s admitted it, and we’ve talked about it. He’s like, ‘Ben I could’ve treated you like the greatest thing since sliced bread and put you up there. You were winning games. Or I could’ve treated you like I did. I chose that route because I felt like that was the best for you.'” But years after their stint, the QB agrees with the HC’s methods.

Speaking to Bruce, he added, “He handled it like he probably should have with a young guy and a veteran group. Because if he would’ve tried to put me up on the pedestal, this young quarterback, I think the guys probably would’ve been like ‘Why are you doing this to this guy? We had to earn our stripes, right?’ It was Coach Cowher you had to earn your stripes. I’m glad I was able to do that.”

Ben was the Steelers’ most stable QB in recent history. Since his retirement in 2021, the team has not only suffered in the QB département but also with their offense. Even now, HC Mike Tomlin needs to make a decision quick– The free agency? Or the NFL Draft? If the first, then the former HC has a choice.

Bill Cowher gets real about Pittsburgh’s QB situation

The Steelers still have to find a solution for their biggest problem this offseason: Who’s the starting QB? Last week, the team turned back to Mason Rudolph, signing him to a two-year deal worth $8 million. But that’s not even half the work done. Mason will most likely serve as the backup QB only. Now, on the veteran side, they’ve got Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson as potential options.

But Tomlin would think twice before bringing Rodgers on board. You know, the former Packers QB has a certain kind of reputation around the league, and it’s not exactly positive.

Bill Cowher thinks the Steelers should give a second shot to Russell Wilson. Russ did not have the kind of season the Steelers hoped for. After a hot start, winning five consecutive games, Wilson’s performance only declined. The QB finished his 2024 season racking up 2,482 yards with only 16 TDs. But still, Cowher thinks Russ could give them a better shot at an SB win than anyone else.

“I personally think that Russell Wilson is your best choice. It’s gonna be a better offensive line room with [Troy] Fautanu coming back and moving Broderick [Jones] to left tackle. I’m thinking you’re looking at the best receiving core you’re gonna have in a long time.”

But had the Steelers wanted to sign Wilson, they would have done it long ago. In fact, they wouldn’t have let him walk in free agency. Wilson had meetings with the Giants and the Browns. There is no word on which team he could go with. As for the Steelers having a best chance with Wilson, Roethlisberger has an idea for Tomlin.

Earlier this month, he posted a video on his X account and shared thoughts on the Pitts’ recent activity in the offseason. “Coach T, are you kidding me? DK Metcalf on one side, GP on the other, Muth (Pat Freiermuth) in the middle. I might need to throw my head in the ring. If you’re looking for a guy, I might, I might have some couple of throws in me.”

Although the Steel City Underground played an April Fools’ Day prank last year with the team signing Wilson and Justin Fields where they explored Ben’s return, he had cleared his stance on the Pat McAffee Show earlier this week. “I actually was thinking about it. I put both my boys in 14 jerseys in the backyard and I couldn’t overthrow my one son. So I think I’m out, unfortunately. I don’t think I got it.”

Interestingly, his confession on Pat’s show came right after the tweet where he wore his helmet and gave Tomlin his own name as an option. But clearly, he will not be the passer that the Pitts will be rooting for anymore.

If they don’t sign Wilson, the Steelers might pick a QB from the drafts if they skip on Aaron Rodgers. For now, they just seem to be in real trouble with their never-ending QB crisis that started with Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.