The Pittsburgh Steelers were off on Sunday, but it was still a big day for the franchise as three legends — Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey and Joey Porter Sr. — were enshrined in the team’s Hall of Honor.
The Steelers held a special dinner at Acrisure Stadium in their honor on Sunday night. Roethlisberger, who quarterbacked the team for 18 seasons and led them to two Super Bowl titles, gave an emotional speech.
After jokingly thanking the Cleveland Browns for not drafting him, Roethlisberger got serious about his love for the organization and its fans.
“Steeler Nation, the best fans in all of sports,” Roethlisberger said towards the end of his speech, tearing up. “I’m so grateful I got to play in front of you for 18 years. I could never imagine putting on any other uniform than the black and gold. I wanted to win so badly for you because your passion and love for this team runs through your bodies. You all bleed for us, and I wanted to bleed for you. Thank you for all your support. I will always bleed black and gold. Thank you.”
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A first-round pick in 2004, Roethlisberger gave Pittsburgh everything he had over his 18-year NFL career. He set franchise records in numerous categories, including games played, passing yards, passing touchdowns and more. He took countless hits, played through numerous injuries and won a lot of big games, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in team history.
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Featured image via Michael Longo/Imagn Images