Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is surely looking forward to the regular season opener against the New England Patriots in September, but he'd prefer it if Tom Brady were under center for his opponents, according to ESPN. Roethlisberger said on Tuesday that it's "not the same" if Brady isn't quarterbacking the Patriots, referring to the fact that Brady currently faces a four-game suspension due to his involvement in the DeflateGate scandal.
Ben Roethlisberger wants Tom Brady to play in Week 1
Ben Roethlisberger says it won’t be the same if the Steelers and Patriots face-off in Week 1 without Tom Brady under center.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
“He’s a guy, I’ve said for a long time, he’s the best in the business,” Roethlisberger said during Steelers organized team activities on Tuesday, “And he proved it again last year winning his fourth (Super Bowl).”
Roethlisberger saying it wouldn’t be the same definitely makes a lot of sense -- Brady has been a fixture among the NFL’s elite and under center with the Patriots since he took over the starting role in 2001, only missing games in 2008 when he sustained a season-ending injury.
We don't know how much longer Brady can play the game at a high level, but seeing Jimmy Garoppolo potentially start will be weird to see. Whatever the case, Brady is currently appealing the four-game suspension and commissioner Roger Goodell is set to hear his appeal. The NFL Players Association has formally requested Goodell recuse himself as arbitrator, which is not likely to happen.
Quotes from linebacker Arthur Moats, DeAngelo Williams and James Harrison were also posted in ESPN's piece, though none of them expressed the same sentiment as Roethlisberger. Moats didn't know who Brady's replacement was, Williams said he doesn't concern himself with the opposing team's offense and Harrison said he wasn't there to discuss the Patriots.
As much as Roethlisberger might enjoy the competition in seeing Brady under center out there, it’s hard to imagine Steelers coaches or defenders feel the same way, for the reasons Roethlisberger stated.
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