Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd " Ben " Roethlisberger ( ; born March 2 , 1982 ) , nicknamed Big Ben , is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round ( 11th overall ) in the 2004 NFL Draft . He played college football at Miami University ( Oxford , Ohio ) . Roethlisberger earned the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2004 and his first Pro Bowl selection in 2007 . He became the youngest Super Bowl - winning quarterback in NFL history , helping lead the Steelers , in his second professional season , to a 21 – 10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL at the age of 23 . Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a second Super Bowl title in four seasons as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII , 27 – 23 , after completing a game - winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in the final 35 seconds . Roethlisberger has been one of the most efficient passers in NFL history . He currently ranks 10th all - time in NFL passer rating ( 92 . 9 ) , 5th in yards per attempt ( 8 . 06 ) , and 11th in completion percentage ( 63 . 24 % ) among quarterbacks with a minimum of 1 , 500 career attempts . He has the fourth highest career winning percentage ( . 710 ) as a starter in the regular season among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 starts . Off the field , Roethlisberger has been involved in high - profile incidents , including a nearly fatal motorcycle accident in 2006 and sexual assault allegations in Lake Tahoe in 2008 and in Milledgeville , Georgia , in 2010 . Neither allegation resulted in charges being filed ; however , the latter act resulted in Roethlisberger being suspended for six games ( reduced to four ) under the NFL ' s personal conduct policy for the start of the 2010 season . Known for playing outside the quarterback pocket in what he calls " backyard football " , Roethlisberger also grew up idolizing Pittsburgh area native Joe Montana . Roethlisberger wears number 7 in John Elway ' s honor . On July 23 , 2011 , Roethlisberger married Ashley Harlan , a physician ' s assistant from New Castle , Pennsylvania . Early years . Roethlisberger was born in Lima , Ohio , the son of Ida Jane ( née Foust ) and Kenneth Todd " Ken " Roethlisberger . His father is a former pitcher and quarterback at Georgia Tech . He is of part Swiss descent ; his surname , " Roethlisberger " ( Swiss - German spelling : Röthlisberger ) , is of Swiss origin with roots in the village of Geissbuehl Lauperswil , Switzerland . At Findlay High School in Findlay , Ohio , Roethlisberger was captain of the football , basketball , and baseball teams . Roethlisberger did not play quarterback until his senior year , giving way to the coach ' s son , Ryan Hite . Instead , Roethlisberger played wide receiver because , as coach Cliff Hite explained to the " Toledo Blade " , " My son throwing to Ben was a better combination . " Hite told the " Toledo Blade " regarding the decision to start his son at quarterback over Roethlisberger : " I ' m a nationally known knucklehead . " College career . Roethslisberger played college quarterback at Miami University in Oxford , Ohio . At Miami , he got a chance to start as a redshirt freshman and started three years of Division I college football despite only a single year experience as a high school quarterback . Roethlisberger holds every major passing record at the school and a number of passing records in the Mid - American Conference ( MAC ) . He played just three years before joining the NFL . As a redshirt freshman , Roethlisberger threw for over 3 , 100 yards . In 2002 , he threw more than 3 , 200 yards , and in 2003 , he threw more than 4 , 400 yards . In 2003 , Roethlisberger led the Miami RedHawks to an unbeaten record in the MAC , a No . 10 ranking in the Associated Press poll and a 49 - 28 victory over Louisville in the 2003 GMAC Bowl . His number was retired by the RedHawks in 91st annual homecoming on Saturday , Oct . 13 , 2007 , with festivities including the RedHawks football game against Bowling Green ; Roethlisberger becoming only the third athlete in Miami football history to have his jersey number retired , joining John Pont and Bob Hitchens . It was the first time in 34 years Miami retired a football jersey number . The Draft . The success of the 2003 Miami Redhawks led to the expectation that Roethlisberger would be drafted early . During the GMAC Bowl , commentators discussed some of his skills that would translate to success in the NFL . At the combine , Roethlisberger scored a 25 on the Wonderlic . Roethlisberger was one of the players invited to attend the draft along with others in the " Green Room " and was featured on the show " Hey Rookie Welcome to the NFL . " Quarterback class of 2004 . Roethlisberger was one of four quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft along with Philip Rivers , Eli Manning , and J . P . Losman . Due to the trade between Manning and Rivers , Roethlisberger was the highest - drafted quarterback that year that played for the team that drafted him . Before Paul Tagliabue announced the selection of Roethlisberger , the phone call he received by Steelers head coach Bill Cowher was shown live on ESPN , confirming the team ' s selection before the official announcement . Roethlisberger , Rivers , and Manning have been voted to the Pro Bowl since becoming starters , none have produced a season with a losing record ( although each has had an 8 - 8 season ) , and Roethlisberger and Manning have each won two Super Bowls . They have been compared favorably to the Quarterback class of 1983 , which included Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Marino , John Elway , and Jim Kelly . Professional career . Roethlisberger was selected 11th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers . On August 4 , 2004 , he signed a six - year contract worth $ 22 . 26 million in salaries and bonuses , with an additional $ 17 . 73 million available via incentives . He was touted by then - Steelers coach Bill Cowher in a press conference as a franchise quarterback . On March 4 , 2008 , the Pittsburgh Steelers and Roethlisberger agreed to an eight - year , $ 102 million contract . Roethlisberger had two years left on his original that he signed after the draft . He has stated that he wants to retire as a Steeler . 2004 season . Roethlisberger did not immediately step in as the starting quarterback for the Steelers . He was the No . 3 QB behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch . When Batch was injured in the preseason , however , Roethlisberger moved up to no . 2 . Maddox started , and won , the season opener against the Raiders and started versus the Ravens . But after an ineffective outing and third - quarter injury to Maddox , Roethlisberger stepped in for his first NFL action . Despite spurring a mild comeback , the Steelers lost the game . Maddox ' s injury changed the Steelers ' original plan for Roethlisberger , which was for him to sit on the bench or play sparingly during the first season or two in order to learn the team ' s system . Instead , he started the third game of the season . As a rookie , he went 13 - 0 in the regular season ( 14 – 1 including playoffs ) as a starting quarterback , helping the Steelers become the first AFC team to have 15 wins ( 2 – 1 under Maddox [ first two and last game ] , 13 – 0 under Roethlisberger ) in a single regular season , surpassing former Steeler Mike Kruczek for the record for the best start by a rookie ( 6 - 0 ) and exceeding the mark for total wins as a rookie , set by Chris Chandler and Joe Ferguson . On January 5 , 2005 , Roethlisberger was unanimously selected as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press , the first quarterback in 34 years to be so honored . One of Roethlisberger ' s biggest games was when he led the Steelers to a 34 – 20 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion and previously undefeated New England Patriots , ending their NFL - record 21 - game winning streak . He completed 18 of 24 pass attempts for 196 yards , two TDs and no turnovers . The week after that game , the Steelers defeated the also previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles 27 – 3 . Roethlisberger was 11 of 18 for 183 yards , with two TDs and one interception . In his first nationally - televised game on Sunday Night Football , he led the Steelers to a 17 – 16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars . He was near - perfect on the night , completing 14 of 17 passes for 226 yards and two TDs . Jeff Reed ' s 37 - yard field goal in the final minute gave the Steelers and Roethlisberger their tenth straight win . Two weeks later , Roethlisberger faced off against the New York Giants and the no . 1 overall pick of the 2004 draft , Eli Manning . Roethlisberger posted his first career 300 - yard passing game , with 18 of 28 passes for 316 yards and a TD . He led his fifth game - winning drive of the season , capping a drive with a Jerome Bettis TD run for a 33 – 30 victory . Eli Manning threw an interception to seal the game for Pittsburgh . In the divisional playoffs against the New York Jets , Roethlisberger threw two interceptions . One interception was returned for a touchdown , and the other was thrown with 2 : 03 left in the fourth quarter , which set up a potential game - winning field goal by Jets kicker Doug Brien . Brien missed the kick as time expired ( his second missed kick in the last two minutes of the game ) , forcing the game into overtime . In overtime , Roethlisberger led the Steelers down the field and put them in position for the game - winning field goal , a 33 - yard attempt that was made by Jeff Reed , sending the Steelers into the AFC Championship for the fourth time in 10 years . On January 23 , 2005 in the in Pittsburgh , Roethlisberger completed 14 of 24 pass attempts for 226 yards and two TDs , but he also threw three costly interceptions , one of which was returned for a touchdown by Rodney Harrison . The Steelers lost the game to the eventual Super Bowl champions , the New England Patriots , by a score of 41 – 27 . 2005 Super Bowl season . In the 2005 regular season , the Steelers finished 11 - 5 . After securing an AFC wild card spot en route to victory in the Super Bowl , the Steelers pulled off upsets at Indianapolis and Denver in the AFC playoffs in addition to wins over higher seeds Cincinnati and Seattle . During the course of the regular 2005 season , Roethlisberger missed four games due to various knee injuries . The Steelers went 9 - 3 with Roethlisberger at quarterback and 2 - 2 without him . He led the league in Yards Per Attempt with an 8 . 90 , and finished third in passer rating behind Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer with a 98 . 6 . The Super Bowl run began on January 8 , 2006 as Roethlisberger helped lead the Steelers to a playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals — an AFC North rival that had beaten the Steelers by seven points in the regular season to win the division championship . The rematch featured two teams with identical records , having split their regular season series since each team won on the road . Early in the game on Carson Palmer ' s first throw , a tackle by former Steeler Kimo von Oelhoffen resulted in Palmer ' s anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) being completely torn . The Bengals ' backup quarterback , Jon Kitna , came in and led the Bengals to leads of 10 - 0 and 17 - 7 . However , the 17 - 7 lead midway through the second quarter would be the last time in the 2005 postseason that the Steelers would trail an opponent by more than three points . After Kitna failed to produce , the Steelers took advantage by taking the next 24 straight points , and the win , in a 31 - 17 victory in Cincinnati . Their second road win came on January 15 . Roethlisberger led the Steelers against the Indianapolis Colts , the NFL ' s top team throughout the season and a heavy favorite to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XL . Roethlisberger threw for 197 yards and recorded a game - saving tackle on Colts ' defensive back Nick Harper , who had just recovered a Jerome Bettis fumble with less than two minutes left in the game . Pittsburgh led early but had to survive a Colts comeback to win 21 - 18 , after an errant call that the NFL later admitted was a mistake , which overturned a Troy Polamalu interception that would have secured the game for the Steelers . Roethlisberger ' s tackle on Harper , dubbed by many as The Tackle II or The Immaculate Redemption , was compared by many to " The Immaculate Reception " in 1972 , when Franco Harris made a miraculous reception and scored the game - winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders . The victory marked the first time in playoff history that a sixth - seeded NFL playoff team defeated the top - seeded team . On January 22 , 2006 , the Steelers defeated the Broncos 34 - 17 in Denver to win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl XL . Roethlisberger completed 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards and threw two touchdown passes and scored one TD himself on a four - yard play - action bootleg . His run was the last touchdown of the game , sealing the win for the Steelers . The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL 21 - 10 over the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit on February 5 , 2006 . Roethlisberger had one of the worst passing games of his career , completing just nine of 21 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions ; his passer rating of 22 . 6 was the lowest in Super Bowl history by a winning quarterback . Though he did convert eight third - down situations in the game to help the Steelers win , none of them was bigger than his 37 - yard pass to Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward on a third - and - 28 that set up the Steelers ' first TD ( a one - yard quarterback sneak by Roethlisberger on third and goal ) . With the victory , Roethlisberger , at 23 years old , became the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl , a record previously held by Tom Brady of the New England Patriots . 2006 season . After an off - season motorcycle crash in which he was seriously injured , Roethlisberger missed the opening game of the 2006 season after having an emergency appendectomy on September 3 . Backup Charlie Batch started and led the Steelers to a victory over Miami . Roethlisberger played the following game against Jacksonville on Monday Night Football . His return resulted in a sub - par performance as he threw two interceptions with no touchdowns in a 9 - 0 loss . In week three , Roethlisberger completed fewer than half of his passes for three interceptions and no touchdowns in a 28 - 20 loss to the Bengals . The final interception came in the final seconds of the game , in the end zone , ending Pittsburgh ' s comeback attempt . In a week - five game against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football , Roethlisberger looked sharp throughout the first half , leading three scoring drives . However , in the second half , he threw two interceptions , both of which shifted momentum away from the Steelers and led to the Chargers ' 23 - 13 win . In week six against the Kansas City Chiefs , Roethlisberger had his first big game of the season , completing 16 of 19 passes for 238 yards with two touchdowns ( his first of the year ) and no interceptions during a 45 - 7 rout of the Chiefs . During week seven in Atlanta , Roethlisberger continued his success , going 16 of 22 for 237 yards and three TDs . But during the third quarter , Roethlisberger was helped off the field after suffering a concussion following a controversial hit by Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney . Roethlisberger was replaced by Charlie Batch , and the Steelers went on to lose 41 - 38 in overtime . On October 29 against the Oakland Raiders , Roethlisberger threw four interceptions in a 20 - 13 upset loss . The loss was his fifth of the season — two more than he had in his first two seasons combined as a starter — and gave him a total of 11 INTs , versus just six TDs , on the season . In a week - nine rematch of the 2005 AFC championship game against Denver , Roethlisberger threw a career - high 433 yards but had three of the six Steelers turnovers in a 31 - 20 loss . Roethlisberger and the Steelers got back on a winning track in a home game a week later against the New Orleans Saints . He passed for 265 yards and three TDs in a 38 - 31 win . In week 11 , Roethlisberger overcame three first - half INTs by throwing for 224 yards and two TDs in the fourth quarter , leading the Steelers to score 21 points and come back to beat the Cleveland Browns 24 - 20 . The following week , Roethlisberger and the Steelers were held scoreless in a 27 - 0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens . Roethlisberger finished 21 of 41 for 214 yards and two INTs . He was sacked nine times , including once by Ravens linebacker Bart Scott , which sent him to the sidelines briefly . He also fumbled once , which the Ravens returned for a TD in the second half . Roethlisberger bounced back the following game , throwing for 198 yards and two TDs in a 20 - 3 victory over Tampa Bay . Pittsburgh kept their playoff hopes alive in week 14 with a 27 - 7 victory against the Browns . Roethlisberger went 11 of 21 for 225 yards with one TD , and rushed for one more . In week 15 , Roethlisberger threw for 140 yards and a TD in a 37 - 3 rout of the Carolina Panthers . The following week , Baltimore eliminated Pittsburgh from the playoffs . In the 31 - 7 defeat , Roethlisberger was intercepted twice and threw for 156 yards . Roethlisberger ended the season on a good note by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23 - 17 in overtime in what would be Bill Cowher ' s final game as Steelers coach . He was 19 for 28 passing with 280 yards , one TD , and one INT . In overtime , Roethlisberger completed a slant pass to rookie Santonio Holmes , who went 67 yards for the game - winning TD . This win eliminated the Bengals from playoff contention . 2007 season . Season recap . Week 1 at Cleveland Browns ( W 34 - 7 ) : Roethlisberger threw four TD passes in a game for the first time in his NFL career as he led the Steelers to a win in the debut of new Steeler head coach Mike Tomlin . Week 2 vs . Buffalo Bills ( W 26 - 3 ) : After settling for four field goals in the first half , Roethlisberger threw a one - yard TD pass to rookie tight end Matt Spaeth in the third quarter . Week 3 vs . San Francisco 49ers ( W 37 - 16 ) : Roethlisberger was 13 of 20 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown pass to the third TE , Jerame Tuman . Week 4 at Arizona Cardinals ( L 21 - 14 ) : Roethlisberger looked to get a win over his former offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt , now the head coach of the Cardinals . However , Roethlisberger had his first loss of the season as he was intercepted twice ; once in the red zone , and then on a desperation pass with six seconds left in the game . Week 5 vs . Seattle Seahawks ( W 21 - 0 ) : Despite starting wide receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes missing the game due to injury , Roethlisberger completed 18 of 22 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown pass to Heath Miller . Week 7 at Denver Broncos ( L 31 - 28 ) : On Sunday Night Football , Roethlisberger turned the ball over three times in the first half , before throwing three touchdown passes on the Steelers ' three offensive drives in the second half ; his last score tied the game at 28 . Denver won on a last second field goal . Week 8 at Cincinnati Bengals ( W 24 - 13 ) : Roethlisberger threw a pair of touchdown passes to Hines Ward in the first half , and finished the game with 230 yards passing . Week 9 vs . Baltimore Ravens ( W 38 - 7 ) : On Monday Night Football , Roethlisberger passed for a career - high five touchdown passes , which tied the team record held by Terry Bradshaw and Mark Malone . All five touchdowns were thrown in the first half , making Roethlisberger one of two quarterbacks in the 2007 season ( the other being Tom Brady ) , and only the fifth quarterback since the 1970 merger , to accomplish such a feat . He also posted a perfect 158 . 3 passer rating , finishing 13 / 16 for 209 yards and no interceptions . Week 10 vs . Cleveland Browns ( W 31 - 28 ) : Roethlisberger helped the Steelers erase a 15 - point deficit against the rival Browns . With the Steelers trailing 21 - 16 in the fourth quarter and facing a third - and - 10 from the Cleveland 30 - yard line , Roethlisberger scrambled up the middle of the field for a 30 - yard TD run ( the longest run of his career at that point ) . He then completed a two - point conversion pass to Hines Ward . After the Browns returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD , Roethlisberger again had to drive the offense with a four - point deficit . This time he made three crucial plays on third down : an 18 - yard pass to Santonio Holmes on third - and - six , a 20 - yard pass to Heath Miller on a third - and - 18 , and a 10 - yard scramble on third - and - nine . Roethlisberger capped off the drive with a short TD pass to Heath Miller , which proved to be the game winner . Week 11 at New York Jets ( L 19 - 16 OT ) : After Roethlisberger led a go ahead field goal drive in the fourth quarter , the Jets forced the Steelers to overtime , where after a three and out by Pittsburgh , the Jets kicked the winning field goal . Roethlisberger was sacked seven times in the game . Week 12 vs . Miami Dolphins ( W 3 - 0 ) : Roethlisberger set a Steelers record , completing 85 . 7 % of his passes ( 18 of 21 ) as the Steelers beat the Miami Dolphins 3 - 0 , a feat made all the more remarkable given the weather conditions . Pittsburgh was hit with a torrential storm , delaying the Monday night game 30 minutes due to lightning , while turning the new sod on the field , laid earlier that week , into a soggy mess . In many parts of the field , players sunk several inches with each step . After one of the game ' s punts , the ball infamously stood straight up , stuck in the ground upon impact . With the game scoreless in the fourth quarter , Roethlisberger led a game - winning field goal drive for the only points of the night . Week 15 vs . Jacksonville Jaguars ( L 29 - 22 ) : Roethlisberger threw his 29th TD pass of the season , to Nate Washington , breaking the team single - season TD pass record previously held by Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw . The score also helped complete a 15 - point comeback in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 22 . On the final drive , down 29 - 22 and facing a fourth - and - seven , Roethlisberger completed a 6 - yard pass to Heath Miller , short of the first down . Week 16 at St . Louis Rams ( W 41 - 24 ) : On Thursday Night Football , Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in NFL history to have two perfect passer rating ( 158 . 3 ) games in the same regular season , completing 16 / 20 passes for 261 yards and 3 TDs . It was his third career perfect passer rating game , tying Peyton Manning for the most such regular - season games in NFL history . Roethlisberger and other key starters did not play in the week 17 finale at Baltimore , as they had already clinched the AFC North division title and their spot in the AFC playoffs . To cap his comeback season , Roethlisberger was selected to his first Pro Bowl , joining five other Steelers teammates on the AFC squad . Roethlisberger ' s 32 touchdown passes ranked third in the NFL , behind Tony Romo and Tom Brady , while his 104 . 1 passer rating was second only to Brady . Roethlisberger also set a new Steelers single - season record with 32 touchdown passes . AFC Wild Card vs . Jacksonville Jaguars ( L 31 - 29 ) : In a week 15 rematch , Roethlisberger struggled early , throwing three interceptions in the 2nd quarter , one being returned for a TD by Rashean Mathis as the Steelers trailed 21 - 7 at halftime . With the injury to Willie Parker , the Steelers were never able to mount a rushing attack as the backs finished with 22 carries for 30 yards . The Steelers trailed 28 - 10 to start the 4th quarter , and were facing a 4th & 12 at the Jaguar 37 yard line . Roethlisberger completed a quick slant against the blitz to Santonio Holmes , who broke a tackle and scored to make it 28 - 17 . Roethlisberger led a TD drive on each of the next two Steeler possessions as they took a 29 - 28 lead with just over six minutes remaining . However , they failed to convert the two - point conversion both times , and the Jaguars were able to get the game - winning FG after Jacksonville QB David Garrard scrambled for 32 yards on a fourth - and - two play . In the second half alone , Roethlisberger completed 17 of 23 passes for 263 yards and 2 TD passes . Roethlisberger did get the ball back with twenty - nine seconds left , but was sacked for the sixth time in the game and fumbled . Despite the disappointing playoff loss , Roethlisberger enjoyed a successful comeback season . He finished third in Comeback Player of the Year voting , behind the Patriots ' Randy Moss and the Dallas Cowboys ' Greg Ellis , who won the award . Roethlisberger played in his first Pro Bowl in Hawaii , and played three series in the 2nd quarter , going 5 / 9 for 42 yards and a TD , and he led the AFC team in rushing with an 18 - yard scramble . The NFC won the game 42 - 30 . 2008 Super Bowl season . Season recap . Week 1 vs . Houston Texans ( W 38 - 17 ) : Completed 13 of 14 passes for a career - high 92 . 9 completion percentage ( min . 10 attempts ) , and finished with 137 yards passing and two TD passes . Byron Leftwich took over in the fourth quarter when Roethlisberger was on the sideline with a shoulder injury . Week 2 at Cleveland Browns ( W 10 - 6 ) : Leading the Steelers to their 10th straight win over the Browns on a windy , rainy night in Cleveland , Roethlisberger completed 13 of 20 passes for 179 yards and a TD . He also had the first pass reception of his career , a negative - seven yard completion to himself after a deflected pass in the 2nd quarter . Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles ( L 15 - 6 ) : Behind a relentless pass rush by Philadelphia , Roethlisberger was sacked eight times , fumbled twice , threw one interception , and was called for a safety in the fourth quarter . He did not finish the game , as his throwing hand was injured . Week 4 vs . Baltimore Ravens ( W 23 - 20 OT ) : On Monday Night Football against a division rival , the Steelers trailed 13 - 3 at halftime . Roethlisberger threw a TD pass to Santonio Holmes in the third quarter to start a comeback . He completed two passes to Mewelde Moore for 31 yards in overtime , setting up Jeff Reed for the winning 46 - yard field goal . Week 5 at Jacksonville Jaguars ( W 26 - 21 ) : On Sunday Night Football , completed 26 of 41 passes for 309 yards and three TDs . His 239 yards passing in the first half was a career high . After falling behind 21 - 20 in the fourth quarter , Roethlisberger directed the game - winning drive , passing for an eight - yard TD to Hines Ward to put the Steelers ahead . He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week and the FedEx Air Player of the Week for his performance . Week 7 at Cincinnati Bengals ( W 38 - 10 ) : Off the bye , Roethlisberger passed for 216 yards and two touchdowns . It was the Steelers ' eighth straight win in Cincinnati , and Roethlisberger was the quarterback for six of those games ( it was his overall 11th win in 11 games in the state of Ohio ) . Week 8 vs . New York Giants ( L 21 - 14 ) : Against the defending champions , Roethlisberger was sacked five times , threw one touchdown , and tied a career - high with four interceptions . Week 9 at Washington Redskins ( W 23 - 6 ) : On Monday Night Football , Roethlisberger had one of the worst performances of his career , posting career lows in passer rating ( 15 . 1 ) , completions ( 5 ) , passing yards ( 50 ) , yards per attempt ( 2 . 94 ) and completion percentage ( 29 . 4 % ) . Overall , he was 5 of 17 for 50 yards , an interception , three sacks . Before halftime , Roethlisberger re - injured his throwing shoulder in the game when he rushed for a one - yard TD that put the Steelers ahead 10 - 6 . He did not return in the second half , as backup Byron Leftwich finished the game . Week 10 vs . Indianapolis Colts ( L 24 - 20 ) : Despite missing practice until Friday with the sore shoulder , Roethlisberger started . The Steelers led 17 - 7 in the second quarter before a costly interception late in the half , which the Colts used to score a touchdown . The game was tied at 17 in the fourth quarter when Roethlisberger led a field - goal drive . But on the next drive he was intercepted , which set up Peyton Manning for the game - winning TD pass . Roethlisberger was intercepted a third time on a Hail Mary attempt in the end zone on the game ' s final play . Overall , Roethlisberger completed 29 passes for 280 yards , no TDs , and three INTs . After the game , Roethlisberger was quoted as saying , " You ' ll never hear me say ' I ' anything , but I lost this game . " Week 11 vs . San Diego Chargers ( W 11 - 10 ) : Roethlisberger completed 31 of 41 passes for 308 yards and no interceptions . He led his third game - winning drive of the season ( 16th of his career ) as Jeff Reed ' s 32 - yard field goal connected with 0 : 11 left . It was the first 11 - 10 game in NFL history . Week 12 vs . Cincinnati Bengals ( W 27 - 10 ) : On Thursday Night Football , Roethlisberger threw for 243 yards and one TD and rushed for his second TD of the season . Week 13 at New England Patriots ( W 33 - 10 ) : In consistent rain , Roethlisberger completed 17 of 33 passes for 179 yards , two TDs , and one INT . After falling behind 10 - 3 in the second quarter , Roethlisberger and the fierce Steelers ' defense led the Steelers to 30 unanswered points in a 33 - 10 victory . Week 14 vs . Dallas Cowboys ( W 20 - 13 ) : Steelers trailed 13 - 3 in the fourth quarter before tying the game on Roethlisberger ' s six - yard TD pass to Heath Miller . The Steelers won 20 - 13 after Deshea Townsend intercepted a Tony Romo pass for a TD . Roethlisberger passed for 204 yards and one TD . It was Roethlisberger ' s 49th victory as a starting QB , breaking the record for the most ever by a QB in their first five NFL seasons . Week 15 at Baltimore Ravens ( W 13 - 9 ) : Steelers trailed 9 - 3 in the 4th quarter . After a FG to make it 9 - 6 , the Steelers took over with 3 : 38 remaining . Roethlisberger led a 92 - yard , game - winning TD drive , culminating in a four - yard TD pass to Santonio Holmes for the 13 - 9 victory . The TD was confirmed by instant replay from a booth review . It was Roethlisberger ' s 50th victory as a starter and fifth game - winning / tying drive in the fourth quarter / OT of the season , and it clinched the second straight AFC North title for the Steelers . Roethlisberger threw for 246 yards and rushed for 21 more in the game . He completed seven passes for 89 yards on the winning drive . Week 16 at Tennessee Titans ( L 31 - 14 ) : After falling behind 10 - 0 , Roethlisberger threw two TD passes to take a 14 - 10 lead in the third quarter . Later , an interception ended a streak of 131 passes without an interception , the longest of his career . After 14 unanswered by the Titans , Roethlisberger threw a second interception , which was returned for an 83 - yard TD in the final minute . The Steelers ' loss clinched the no . 2 seed . Roethlisberger completed 25 of 39 passes for 329 yards , two TDs , two INTs , and four fumbles ( lost two ) . Week 17 vs . Cleveland Browns ( W 31 – 0 ) : Roethlisberger suffered simultaneous hard hits from Willie McGinest and D ' Qwell Jackson just after the two - minute warning in the first half . He lay on the field for roughly 15 minutes before being carted off on a stretcher and taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital . He was diagnosed with a mild concussion , but practiced during the week leading up to the playoff opener . AFC Divisional Playoffs vs . San Diego Chargers ( W 35 – 24 ) : Roethlisberger shook off past demons of returning from injury to lead the Steelers to a 35 – 24 victory against the Chargers . After a late TD drive to close the first half with a 14 - 10 lead , Roethlisberger converted three third - and - long passes on a 7 : 56 TD drive to start the second half , putting the Steelers up by double - digits for the rest of the game . He completed 17 of 26 passes for 181 yards and a TD while being sacked just once , with no turnovers . After the game , it was revealed that his injury suffered against Cleveland in week 17 was a spinal - cord concussion . AFC Championship vs . Baltimore Ravens ( W 23 - 14 ) : Roethlisberger threw for 255 yards , with one TD and no turnovers to help the Steelers beat Baltimore for the third time in the ' 08 - ' 09 season and return to the Super Bowl . It was Roethlisberger ' s seventh playoff win in his first five seasons , moving him past Troy Aikman for second - most all - time ( first is Tom Brady with nine ) . Super Bowl vs . Arizona Cardinals ( W 27 – 23 ) : Wanting to atone for his performance in Super Bowl XL , Roethlisberger led the Steelers to one of the more dramatic victories in Super Bowl history . On the first two offensive drives , Roethlisberger passed for 122 yards on seven of eight passing attempts , which was one yard shy of his total amount from his first Super Bowl start . The Steelers led 10 - 0 and went into halftime up 17 - 7 . The lead grew to 20 - 7 before Arizona mounted a comeback . Trailing for the first time in the game , 23 - 20 , with 2 : 30 remaining in the game , Roethlisberger took the field to start the winning drive . After a holding penalty on the first play , Roethlisberger marched the Steelers 88 yards in eight plays , hooking up with game MVP Santonio Holmes four times for 73 yards on the drive , including the six - yard TD pass that put the Steelers ahead with 0 : 35 remaining . Overall , Roethlisberger finished 21 of 30 for 256 yards , one TD , and one INT . He had a passer rating of 93 . 2 . 2009 season . Season recap . Week 1 vs . Tennessee Titans ( W 13 - 10 OT ) : Completed 33 of 43 passes for 363 yards , 1 TD and 2 INTs in the 16th fourth quarter comeback of his career on the opening night of the 2009 season . Week 2 at Chicago Bears ( L 17 - 14 ) : With the game tied at 14 , Roethlisberger drove the Steelers into field goal range . However , Jeff Reed missed his second attempt of the quarter and Chicago would win on a field goal in the final seconds . Week 3 at Cincinnati Bengals ( L 23 - 20 ) : The Steelers were dominant in the first half and led 20 - 9 in the fourth quarter , but the defense surrendered the lead with fourteen seconds left . Roethlisberger got the ball back with two seconds remaining and his hail mary was incomplete . It is his first NFL loss in the state of Ohio , snapping an 11 - 0 record . Week 4 vs . San Diego Chargers ( W 38 - 28 ) : Roethlisberger led the Steelers to touchdowns on four of their first five possessions to take a 28 - 0 lead in the second half . The Steelers hung on for victory , as Roethlisberger recorded his second 300 yard passing game of the season with 333 yards , 2 TDs and no turnovers . Week 5 vs . Detroit Lions ( W 28 - 20 ) : Roethlisberger completed over 70 % of his passes for the third straight game and threw a season - high 3 TD passes . Week 6 vs . Cleveland Browns ( W 27 - 14 ) : Improved his record to 10 - 0 against the Browns by throwing for 417 yards and 2 TDs . Week 7 vs . Minnesota Vikings ( W 27 - 17 ) : Against the 6 - 0 Vikings , Roethlisberger completed 14 of 26 passes for 175 yards and threw a 40 yard TD pass to Mike Wallace before halftime . Week 9 at Denver Broncos ( W 28 - 10 ) : On Monday Night Football , Roethlisberger used the no - huddle offense to lead a dominant second half , as he threw for 233 yards and 3 TD passes to get his first regular season win over Denver . Week 10 vs . Cincinnati Bengals ( L 18 - 12 ) : After completing 70 . 6 % of his passes through the first eight games of the season , Roethlisberger was 20 / 40 ( 50 % ) against Cincinnati for a season - low 174 yards . He was sacked 4 times and failed to throw a TD pass for the first time in 2009 . Week 11 at Kansas City Chiefs ( L 27 - 24 OT ) : Roethlisberger had thrown for 398 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game in overtime after taking a knee to the helmet on a scramble attempt . He suffered the fourth concussion of his NFL career . Week 13 vs . Oakland Raiders ( L 27 - 24 ) : After sitting out the overtime loss in week 12 at Baltimore , Roethlisberger started against the Raiders and passed for 278 yards and 2 TD passes . He threw a go ahead TD pass to Hines Ward with 1 : 56 remaining , only to have the Raiders answer back with a winning TD with nine seconds left . The Steelers could not hold three leads in the fourth quarter . They led 10 - 6 , 17 - 13 and 24 - 20 . It was the fifth loss of the season in which they surrendered the lead in the final quarter . Week 14 at Cleveland Browns ( L 13 - 6 ) : On a frigid Thursday night in Cleveland , Roethlisberger was sacked 8 times and did not lead a touchdown drive in his first career loss to Cleveland , ending a perfect 10 - 0 record against the rival Browns . It is the first time he lost four straight starts . Week 15 vs . Green Bay Packers ( W 37 - 36 ) : Roethlisberger broke several franchise passing records in ending the five game losing streak for the Steelers with the biggest passing day in franchise history . His first pass of the day was a 60 yard TD to Mike Wallace , and his last pass was a game - winning 19 yard TD to Wallace on the final play of the game . He passed for 503 yards , 3 TDs , and had no turnovers . He broke Terry Bradshaw ' s single - season record of 3 , 724 passing yards , and set a new mark for single - season completions ( 302 ) . After leading a FG drive to take a 30 - 28 lead , the defense again surrendered the lead and the Steelers trailed 36 - 30 . Roethlisberger used all 2 : 01 he had left to drive the team 86 yards for the winning TD with no time remaining . Roethlisberger was named AFC Player of the Week for his effort ; the 5th time he has won that award in his career . Week 16 vs . Baltimore Ravens ( W 23 - 20 ) : Roethlisberger ' s 259 yard effort helped him become the first QB in franchise history to pass for over 4000 yards in a single season . With the game tied at 20 in the final quarter , he led the Steelers on the game - winning FG drive as they improved to 8 - 7 . Week 17 at Miami Dolphins ( W 30 - 24 ) : Roethlisberger ended the season with a win in Miami as he threw for 220 yards and 3 TD passes to finish the season with 4 , 328 yards and 26 TD passes . He was 9 - 6 as a starter and his 100 . 5 passer rating was the second time in his career he had a season with a rating over 100 . He was sacked 50 times in 2009 . Despite the three game win streak to end the season , the Steelers did not make the playoffs after tie - breakers eliminated them . Roethlisberger was voted as team MVP by the Steelers for the first time in his career . He was selected as the first alternate to the Pro Bowl , but declined the invitation to rest his right shoulder which was injured in the Miami game . 2010 season . Season recap . Week 6 vs . Cleveland Browns ( W 28 - 10 ) : After being suspended for the first four games of the season under the NFL player conduct policy , Roethlisberger returned to the Steelers during their Week 5 bye week . In his first game of the season he completed 16 of 27 passes for 258 yards , 3 TDs and 1 INT . Week 7 at Miami Dolphins ( W 23 - 22 ) : Trailing 22 - 20 with 2 : 37 remaining in the game , Roethlisberger was at the center of controversy when he ran a QB draw and dove for the end zone , appearing to score a TD in the process . The play was ruled a TD on the field , but reviews showed Roethlisberger had fumbled short of the end zone . However , the review failed to provide conclusive evidence as to who recovered the ball after the fumble . By rule , possession was given to Pittsburgh , resulting in the game - winning field goal . Roethlisberger passed for 302 yards and 2 TDs in the game . " Just a bizarre kind of play . You hate to win it that way , but you ' ll take a win , " Roethlisberger said . Week 8 at New Orleans Saints ( L 20 - 10 ) : In his 90th regular season game , Roethlisberger reached the 20 , 000 yard passing mark , but failed to throw a TD pass as the Steelers lost on Halloween night in the Superdome . Week 9 at Cincinnati Bengals ( W 27 - 21 ) : Roethlisberger improved to 8 - 2 as a starter on Monday Night Football , and 63 - 27 over his first 90 regular season starts ( tied with Jim McMahon for 3rd highest win percentage through first 90 starts ) . Week 10 vs . New England Patriots ( L 39 - 26 ) : Roethlisberger passed for a season - high 387 yards and 3 TDs , but also had an interception returned for a score and was sacked five times as he tried to rally the Steelers from a 23 - 3 deficit in the second half on Sunday Night Football . Week 11 vs . Oakland Raiders ( W 35 - 3 ) : In his first win over the Raiders , Roethlisberger passed for 275 yards and 3 TDs , and rushed for a career - high 55 yards and a TD . Celebrating a second quarter TD pass , Roethlisberger was punched in the face by Raiders ' defensive lineman Richard Seymour , who was then ejected . Week 12 at Buffalo Bills ( W 19 - 16 OT ) : Roethlisberger passed for 246 yards and led a 13 - play , 58 - yard drive in overtime , kept alive by a completion to Mike Wallace for 17 yards on third and eight , to set up new Steeler kicker Shaun Suisham for the 41 - yard winning field goal . Week 13 at Baltimore Ravens ( W 13 - 10 ) : Roethlisberger was questionable to start the Sunday night game with a foot injury , but did start the game and suffered a broken nose on the first series after a hit to the face from Haloti Ngata . Trailing 10 - 6 in the fourth quarter , Roethlisberger threw a go - ahead TD pass to Isaac Redman with 2 : 51 remaining and the Steelers held on for the win as he finished with 253 yards passing . Week 14 vs . Cincinnati Bengals ( W 23 - 7 ) : Roethlisberger passed for 258 yards in his 75th win as a starter ( including playoffs ) . Week 15 vs . New York Jets ( L 22 - 17 ) : After getting the ball back , trailing 22 - 17 with 2 : 08 left , Roethlisberger drove the Steelers 82 yards to the Jets ' 10 yard line , but his last two passes fell incomplete in the end zone and time expired . Week 16 vs . Carolina Panthers ( W 27 - 3 ) : On Thursday Night Football , Roethlisberger passed for 320 yards , a TD , and rushed for another score . Week 17 at Cleveland Browns ( W 41 - 9 ) : Roethlisberger passed for 280 yards and 2 TDs as the Steelers clinched the AFC North and the # 2 seed in the AFC playoffs . He finished the season with a 9 - 3 record in 12 starts , passing for 3200 yards , 17 TDs and a career - low five interceptions . AFC Divisional Playoffs vs . Baltimore Ravens ( W 31 - 24 ) : Late in the first quarter Roethlisberger was sacked and fumbled the ball , and after both teams thought the pass was incomplete , it was eventually picked up by Cory Redding for a Baltimore TD . The Steelers trailed 21 - 7 in the third quarter before Roethlisberger completed TD passes to Heath Miller and Hines Ward to tie the game at 21 . With just over two minutes left , the game was tied 24 - 24 and the Steelers faced a 3rd & 19 . Roethlisberger completed a deep pass to rookie wide receiver Antonio Brown for 58 yards and Rashard Mendenhall ' s rushing TD put the Steelers ahead for good , 31 - 24 , with 1 : 33 left . It was Roethlisberger ' s third game - winning drive in a playoff game . He finished with 19 completions on 32 attempts for 226 yards and 2 TD passes . AFC Championship vs . New York Jets ( W 24 - 19 ) : Roethlisberger rushed for a TD in the first half as the Steelers built a 24 - 0 lead , before the Jets scored 19 unanswered points . With two minutes remaining in the game , Roethlsiberger faced a 3rd & 6 . He scrambled right and completed a 14 yard pass to Antonio Brown to seal the victory for Pittsburgh , sending them to their third Super Bowl appearance in the last six seasons . Roethlisberger completed 10 of 19 passes for a season - low 133 yards and two interceptions in the game . Super Bowl XLV vs . Green Bay Packers ( L 31 - 25 ) : In his third Super Bowl start , Roethlisberger was hit as he attempted a pass to Mike Wallace in the first quarter , and it was intercepted for a touchdown by Nick Collins . The Steelers trailed 21 - 3 in the second quarter before Roethlisberger completed a touchdown pass to Hines Ward to make it 21 - 10 at halftime . The Steelers closed to within 21 - 17 in the third quarter , but were unable to score on their next three drives . After falling behind 28 - 17 in the fourth quarter , Roethlisberger threw a 25 yard TD pass to Mike Wallace , and then pitched the ball to Antwaan Randle El on a lateral for the two - point conversion to make it 28 - 25 . Taking over at his own 13 with 1 : 59 left and down 31 - 25 , Roethlisberger was unable to lead the game - winning drive against Green Bay this time after his pass fell incomplete to Wallace on 4th & 5 at his own 33 yard line , ensuring the first Super Bowl loss of his career . Roethlisberger finished the game 25 / 40 for 263 yards , 2 TDs and 2 interceptions . " I feel like I let the city of Pittsburgh down , the fans , my coaches and my teammates , " Roethlisberger said , " and it ' s not a good feeling . " 2011 season . Season recap . Week 1 at Baltimore Ravens ( L 35 - 7 ) : In his 100th regular season game , Roethlisberger set career - worsts for turnovers ( 5 ) and largest margin of defeat ( 28 ) in his first loss against the Ravens since 2006 . Week 2 vs . Seattle Seahawks ( W 24 - 0 ) : Roethlisberger became the fourth quarterback to reach 70 wins in his first 100 starts , as he threw for 298 yards and did not turn the ball over . He took a shot to his right knee in the second quarter , but returned after missing two plays to finish the game . Week 3 at Indianapolis Colts ( W 23 - 20 ) : Roethlisberger threw for a career - high 171 yards in the first quarter , turned the ball over three times in the second quarter , then led the Steelers to the 20th fourth quarter comeback of his career , passing Terry Bradshaw for the most in Steelers ' history . Week 4 at Houston Texans ( L 17 - 10 ) : Roethlisberger was sacked five times and beat up all day by the Houston defense , finishing the game with a sprained left foot . He passed for 206 yards and threw an interception on a Hail Mary attempt in the final seconds of the game . Week 5 vs . Tennessee Titans ( W 38 - 17 ) : For the second time in his career , Roethlisberger threw five touchdown passes in a game . He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the seventh time in his career . Week 6 vs . Jacksonville Jaguars ( W 17 - 13 ) : Roethlisberger passed for 181 yards in the first half , but only 19 in the second half as the Steelers hung on for the win . Week 7 at Arizona Cardinals ( W 32 - 20 ) : Roethlisberger set the franchise record for longest pass with a 95 - yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace . He finished with 361 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first regular season win over the Cardinals . Week 8 vs . New England Patriots ( W 25 - 17 ) : Roethlisberger beat the Tom Brady - led Patriots for the first time in seven years , completing 36 / 50 passes for 365 yards and 2 touchdowns . He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the 8th time in his career . Week 9 vs . Baltimore Ravens ( L 23 - 20 ) : On Sunday Night Football , Roethlisberger rallied the Steelers back from a 10 - point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a 20 - 16 lead with five minutes left . But the Ravens would score the winning touchdown with 0 : 08 left , completing the season sweep . Roethlisberger passed for 330 yards ; the first time he ' s had a 300 - yard game against Baltimore . Week 10 at Cincinnati Bengals ( W 24 - 17 ) : Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a 14 - 0 lead and held on for the win after throwing for 245 yards . Week 12 at Kansas City Chiefs ( W 13 - 9 ) : Roethlisberger ' s career - best streak of 18 consecutive games with 200 + yards passing came to an end as he finished with 193 . Week 13 vs . Cincinnati Bengals ( W 35 - 7 ) : Roethlisberger moved past Terry Bradshaw in the Steelers ' record books ; first for most times sacked , then for most pass completions in team history . Week 14 vs . Cleveland Browns ( W 14 - 3 ) : In the second quarter , Roethlisberger ' s leg was injured on a sack and he left the game . He would return for the second half and played the rest of the game , despite limping on his high - ankle sprain . He threw a game - clinching 79 - yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown late in the fourth quarter . Roethlisberger finished with 280 yards passing on just 21 attempts for a career - high 13 . 33 YPA ( min . 15 attempts ) . On the injury , Roethlisberger said , " It was one of the most painful things I ever felt . It felt like the middle of my leg was just , cracked . . . it felt like my foot was outside of my leg . " Week 15 vs . San Francisco 49ers ( L 20 - 3 ) : Roethlisberger started the game while suffering through a high - ankle sprain . During the game it was clear that Roethlisberger was still showing signs of the injury due to him limping between plays . He finished the game without any touchdowns but had 330 yards passing while throwing 3 interceptions . Career statistics . Note : Roethlisberger also has 1 reception for - 7 yards that he completed to himself versus Cleveland on 9 / 14 / 2008 Comebacks / game - winning drives in the fourth quarter / overtime . Roethlisberger set a NFL rookie record in 2004 with five comeback wins in the fourth quarter , and six game - winning drives in the fourth quarter / overtime ( including one playoff game ) . Roethlisberger has the most comeback wins ( 19 ) and game - winning drives ( 25 ) through the first seven seasons of a player ' s career . He is the only quarterback to reach 20 comeback wins before the age of 30 . Records . Miami Redhawks records . Miami University is in Oxford , Ohio , and all records are from the 2008 media guide . Pittsburgh Steelers franchise records . In his eight seasons , Roethlisberger has many individual accomplishments that are record performances in Steelers history . Charitable works . Roethlisberger started a foundation with the following mission statement : " The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation seeks to ( a ) : provide support for police and fire departments throughout the U . S . with a particular emphasis on service dogs and ( b ) : to enhance the quality of life for residents of Findlay , Ohio and Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . " In 2005 , Roethlisberger donated one game check to aid the tsunami relief fund . He has also donated over $ 100 , 000 to fund police dogs in Pittsburgh . Roethlisberger participated in the 2009 US Open Challenge with Michael Jordan , Justin Timberlake , and essay winner Larry Giebelhausen in a quest to break 100 on the Bethpage Black course . He shot an 81 , the low of the group . Off - field headlines . Motorcycle accident . On Monday , June 12 , 2006 , at 11 : 17 a . m . EDT ( UTC - 4 ) , Roethlisberger was involved in a motorcycle accident near the intersection of 10th Street and Second Avenue near downtown Pittsburgh , in which he was not wearing his helmet . Roethlisberger did not have a valid Pennsylvania motorcycle license at the time of the accident , only a temporary permit that he had obtained after moving to Pittsburgh which had expired in March . Roethlisberger was traveling east on Second Avenue when a Chrysler New Yorker made a left turn in front of the motorcycle and onto the South Tenth Street Bridge when the accident occurred . According to an eyewitness , Roethlisberger went over the handlebars of his bike , a 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa , shattering the windshield of the car with his head . The eyewitness reports claimed Roethlisberger tried to get up but was bleeding from the head . Reports from the scene and news media indicated that the accident was serious but " not life - or career - threatening , " though Roethlisberger would later relate in interviews that paramedics on the scene stopped the bleeding in his throat just in time to save his life . After the accident , the shift commander for the Allegheny County emergency service described Roethlisberger as " alert and conscious . " He was transported to Mercy Hospital and was described as being in " serious but stable " condition in the operating room . Police sources have indicated that Roethlisberger suffered fractures to the jaw and right sinus cavity , as well as a nine - inch laceration to the back of the head , the loss of two teeth , and several chipped teeth . His facial injuries were severe enough that witnesses on the scene did not immediately recognize him , even after he identified himself as " Ben . " Upon arriving at Mercy Hospital , he went immediately into surgery , where he remained for more than seven hours . The broken bones in his face were repaired . The subsequent news conference with the hospital staff was brief but confirmed early reports that the most serious injuries were to the head and face . There was no neck , spinal , or brain damage found . After surgery , at approximately noon on June 13 , 2006 , Roethlisberger was upgraded to fair condition . The most serious injuries to Roethlisberger were a broken upper and lower jaw and a broken nose . Roethlisberger was expected to make a full recovery in time for the opening game of the season . In the wake of Kellen Winslow II ' s crashing of his motorcycle in May 2005 , Roethlisberger had been criticized by various NFL members and the media for not wearing a helmet while riding . Even Roethlisberger ' s coach , Bill Cowher , lectured him about motorcycle safety . Former Steeler Terry Bradshaw warned Roethlisberger personally when he visited the Steelers ' training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe , Pennsylvania , and on television , saying , " Ride it when you retire . " In a segment put together by ESPN following Winslow ' s accident , Roethlisberger had said he did not wear a helmet because it was not required by law , adding , " You ' re just more free when you ' re out there and there ' s no helmet on . " Transcripts of the interview recall Roethlisberger telling Suzy Kolber that he only rides a Harley , or his chopper with friends , not a sport bike ( like the one Winslow was on ) . He also claimed to have his license . Both statements have been proven false since the accident . Roethlisberger was released from the hospital at 11 : 46 PM on June 14 , 2006 . The next day , he released a statement apologizing for concerning friends , family , all his fans , and the Steelers organization , and in which he also stated , " If I ever ride again , it certainly will be with a helmet . " On June 19 , the Pittsburgh police announced that Roethlisberger would be cited for failure to wear a helmet and failure to operate in his license class . Wearing a helmet is optional in Pennsylvania only for operators who currently possess and have had a motorcycle license for at least two years . The driver of the car was cited for failure to yield the right of way . Roethlisberger gave his first television interview after the accident on July 13 , with ABC ' s " Good Morning America " . He said he was told by responding paramedics that he ruptured a major blood vessel in his mouth and was minutes away from dying . Despite the seriousness of the accident , his recovery went so well that he started the first three Steelers 2006 preseason games . Sexual assault allegations . Lake Tahoe . On July 17 , 2009 , a civil suit was filed in Washoe County , Nevada District Court accusing Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting Andrea McNulty , 31 , in June 2008 in his hotel room while he was in Lake Tahoe for a celebrity golf tournament . Roethlisberger is one of nine defendants listed in the docket report . McNulty could not obtain criminal charges to be filed against him due to lack of evidence , and thus no investigation was launched to obtain any possible physical evidence . Roethlisberger ' s attorney denied the claim . The Lake Tahoe suit seeks at least $ 440 , 000 in damages from the quarterback and also alleges hotel officials for Harrah ' s Lake Tahoe went to great lengths to cover up the incident . The woman is seeking $ 50 , 000 in damages from the Harrah ' s officials . According to the woman , she was working as an executive casino host in July 2008 , when she said Roethlisberger struck up a friendly conversation at her desk during the golf tournament , the next night she said Roethlisberger telephoned her to tell her that the television sound system in his room wasn ' t working and asked her to look at it . The woman said she determined that the TV was functioning properly , but as she turned to leave he stood in front of the door and blocked her , then grabbed her and started to kiss her . According to the lawsuit , the woman obtained hospital treatment after the alleged attack . On August 8 , 2009 , the " Pittsburgh Post - Gazette " published details of an affidavit filed as part of a motion by two of the other defendants named in the suit to relocate the case from Washoe County to Douglas County . In the affidavit , Angela Antonetti , McNulty ' s former co - worker , delivered a sworn statement that McNulty had bragged to her about having consensual sex with Roethlisberger . As part of the affidavit , Antonetti said she was " absolutely shocked " upon hearing of the case on the radio on July 21 . Antonetti explained , " I knew that [ her ] lawsuit and false allegations would unfairly and unjustly hurt Mr . Roethlisberger " . According to the affidavit , defendant Antonetti claimed that McNulty had revealed she was hoping she had gotten pregnant with a " little Roethlisberger " . Antonetti also claimed that she had been asked to travel to Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania in August 2008 in an attempt to " run into " the quarterback . In response , Antonetti advised McNulty she " shouldn ' t try to chase Mr . Roethlisberger " . Milledgeville , Georgia . On March 5 , 2010 , it was revealed that police in Milledgeville , Georgia were investigating Roethlisberger for an unrelated sexual assault inside the women ' s restroom of the Capital City nightclub . The accuser , a then - 20 - year - old student at nearby Georgia College & State University , was seen at several establishments with Roethlisberger leading up to the incident , including posing for a photograph with him . Roethlisberger spoke with police the night of the incident and stated that he did have contact with the woman that was not " consummated " and afterward the accuser slipped and injured her head . Roethlisberger hired lawyer Ed Garland , who had previously defended Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in his murder trial . Head coach Mike Tomlin stated at the time that he was " highly concerned " for the franchise and Roethlisberger . The accuser was treated at Oconee Regional Medical Center . An emergency - room doctor and two nurses examined her and noted in their report a " superficial laceration and bruising and slight bleeding in the genital area " , but could not say if trauma or sexual assault was the cause . The remaining examination was " normal " . A rape kit was collected , but no semen was recovered , and the amount of male DNA found was insufficient to create a profile or establish that an assault had taken place . The doctor ' s report also quoted the alleged victim telling them that , " A boy kind of raped me . " In interviews with the police on the night of the incident , the woman alleged that Roethlisberger , after inviting her and her friends to the V . I . P . area of the nightclub , encouraged them to do numerous shots of alcohol before one of his bodyguards — an off - duty Coraopolis , Pennsylvania / " Pittsburgh International Airport interdiction " officer — led her down a hallway to a stool and left . Roethlisberger allegedly approached and exposed himself and , despite the woman ' s protests , followed her into what turned out to be a bathroom when she tried to leave through the first door she saw . The woman claims Roethlisberger then had sex with her . It is further alleged that friends of the woman attempted to intervene out of worry , but the second of Roethlisberger ' s bodyguards — an off - duty Pennsylvania State Trooper — avoided eye contact and said he did not know what they were talking about . The policemen later claimed to " have no memory " of meeting the woman . On April 12 , 2010 , district attorney Fred Bright held a press conference to announce that Roethlisberger would not be charged . Bright said " looking at all the evidence here , " I can not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt " . " Furthermore , the accuser wrote to the D . A . through her lawyer expressing she no longer wanted to pursue criminal charges because the level of media attention would make a criminal trial too " intrusive " of a personal experience . The letter stressed that she was not recanting her accusation . As a result of the unabridged details revealed in Bright ' s press conference , reaction was swift . Steelers president Art Rooney II was reported to be " furious " . The owner of Pittsburgh - based PLB Sports , which marketed " Big Ben ' s Beef Jerky " , terminated the company ' s five - year sponsorship of Roethlisberger , the first such action in the company ' s 14 year history . Milledgeville Police Sergeant Jerry Blash , who had been photographed with Roethlisberger earlier in the evening , was the first officer to respond to the scene . He resigned on April 15 , 2010 , after apparently making a comment at the scene that " this bitch is drunk " in reference to the accuser . Roethlisberger was among the celebrities lampooned in the 14th season premiere of the Comedy Central animated series " South Park " , appearing in a rehabilitation class for " sex addicts " along with David Letterman , Bill Clinton , and others . Titled " Sexual Healing " , the episode aired shortly after the second accusation of sexual assault was made . 2010 suspension . On April 21 , 2010 , the NFL ' s Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that Roethlisberger would be suspended without pay for the first six games of the 2010 season due to a violation of the NFL ' s personal conduct policy . Roethlisberger was ordered to undergo a league - mandated " professional behavior evaluation " and " must adhere to any counseling or treatment that is recommended by the professional evaluators . " The suspension was subsequently reduced to four games . Personal life . Roethlisberger is a spokesman for Swiss Roots , a campaign intended to help Americans of Swiss origin reconnect with their Swiss ancestral heritage . In May 2006 , Roethlisberger and his family traveled to Switzerland for a week . He has his own line of barbecue sauce , Big Ben ' s BBQ . His younger sister , Carlee Roethlisberger , played women ' s basketball for the University of Oklahoma . In popular culture . Roethlisberger is the namesake to multiple sandwiches , which are usually named using a pun on his last name ' s similarity to " hamburger " . For instance , Pittsburgh restaurant chain Peppi ' s sells the " Roethlisburger " , at a price of $ 7 . 00 , in correlation with his jersey number " 7 " . A Findlay , Ohio , restaurant named Tony ' s and an Oxford , Ohio , restaurant named Brick Street also sell " Roethlisburger " sandwiches . He has appeared on the " Late Show with David Letterman " , after both of his Super Bowl victories . At the 2006 Grammy Awards , one week after Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL , Roethlisberger introduced Kelly Clarkson . He , along with other Steelers players , makes a cameo appearance as a member of the Gotham Rogues football team , in the 2012 film " The Dark Knight Rises " .