Steelers extend Roethlisberger with 8-year, $102M ($36M guaranteed) deal [merged]

[SoCal Pmen]

Re: If Big Ben gets $100mil/36 guaranteed what is Brady worth?

Look beyond the money. Both Brady and Belichick will get some form of ownership or stake in the organization so long as the Krafts own it.

 

[Fixit]

Re: If Big Ben gets $100mil/36 guaranteed what is Brady worth?

Ten Ben Roethlisbergers.

 

[PonyExpress]

Re: If Big Ben gets $100mil/36 guaranteed what is Brady worth?

Brady's value to the Pats is about the same as Ben's to Pittsburgh. Both are Sb winners, Pro Bowlers and clear franchise Qbs. Brady's better, Ben's younger. Brady's contract should be comparable.

 

[upstater1]

Re: OT Kinda of: Steelers extend Ben

You wasted 9.

After we won the third superbowl in 4 years, Kraft publicly stated that they wanted to sign Tom, who was still making relative peanuts after he extended following the first superbowl, to a long term deal. He emphatically stated that unless he wanted Manning money, in which case it would be a very difficult extension to get done. Brady re-upped 3 months later for 6/$60M with $14.5M in signing bonus and $12M in option bonus, plus some skill based guarantees on portions of his backend salaries which were well below average to begin with.

They are a disciplined with him as they are with the rest of the roster. They are fortunate to be sure that he understands why and he is willing to go along. I don't see that changing. This is his team and his legacy, and like BB and SP and BK - legacy matters to TB.

His deal will never be at the top of the position (unless it's for a week or two before Manning gets Polian to trump it...). It may even look paltry by comparison. But in the end he will earn (take home) in the top 3-5 range over the course of his career, and the real money take that seperates those 3-5 will be relatively small (except perhaps as it relates to their first deals as top draft picks - which as Bill says is what it is, history). Is he the best of the 5 - absolutely. But he doesn't measure his success in absolute contract $$$.

PS - another thing you don't grasp is these guys will never be on the open market. And their deals will always reflect that.

You're caught in a time warp. The last Super Bowl was 2004-2005.

We're going into the 2008-2009 season.

Wake up!

Tom Brady is unquestionably at the top of his profession now. He's worth $20 million easy.

You're acting like it's 4 years ago. It's not!!!

 

[Real World]

Re: If Big Ben gets $100mil/36 guaranteed what is Brady worth?

One billion dollars.

d%#*!@t! I was gonna say that.

 

[Stan Musial Jr.]

Re: OT Kinda of: Steelers extend Ben

The most amazing things he's done in his first 5 seasons are manage not to lose a superbowl, lead his 6th seed team to that superbowl with a little help from Manning having "protection" issues, and not killing himself, merely maiming himself and his teams season.

While that may trump 1 season of taking the Browns to within a choke of the playoffs for the first time in a decade, it isn't in the same league as what Manning and Brady have accomplished. Heck, Brady had 3 rings in his first 5 years in the league.

Ben and Romo are gunslingers ala Favre. They can produce some high highs as long as you can stomach the lowest of lows, usually when they try to do too much or inexplicable veer away from a prescribed formula or stubbornly try to force the issue. I really think realizing that was why Cowher opted out. He let Plax walk because he and Ben were scheming plays off the reservation. And I think that he was already butting heads with Wisenhut is the reason he too had to move on to be a HC. The Rooney's chose the franchise QB over coaching.

Ben and Romo want to be Tom Brady, but they aren't able or willing to put in the preperation time that he and Manning embrace. Favre could never get the gist of all that film work either. Just sling it.

You know Mo, not that I want this to become the QB from another team forum, but I did a little research. And here's what I found (via another team's forum, and another poster):

"Yup Ben sucks.

He only is currently 2nd all-time in win% and QB Rating in NFL history for any Qb starting 50+ games.

His YPA is off the charts (for a game manager I suppose).
He already has more 8.0 YPA seasons than Favre, Elway, Moon, Montana or Brady have in their entire careers.

His Career stats:
QB rating is 92.5,
YPA is 8.1
comp% is 63.2
TD 84 vs INT 54

Go ahead and compare those stats to any QB in the HOF. Ben's are better than almost every HOF'er thru 4 years.

Throw in a ROY, SB win, 5-2 playoff record, and 2 Pro Bowl nominations as well. Keep hatin kids... his deal is fair market value. It's slightly above Bulger/Romo/Brady and below Manning/Palmer."
--------------------------------------------------------------

Kind of different than the mythical way you're portraying this kid. Turns out he's top notch.

Oh, and I looked up his AFC playoff run the year they won the Bowl... turns out he posted a 125 QB rating while Bettis/Parker couldn't even average 3 yards a carry -- that's a superstar QB performance, carrying a team on his back. Not quite the ol' "oh Manning had some protection issues so the Steelers won" way you want to dismiss his success. Mo, quite frankly you're full of cow crap on this one.

Given today's inflated market prices, maybe the Steelers actually got themselves a bargain here.

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

Re: OT Kinda of: Steelers extend Ben

The key to the signing is the 8 years. Steelers will renegotiate at year 6, they always do when there are 2 years left on a QBs contract. So we've signed him, to 6 years for sure. That's 6 seasons of not having to worry an ounce about our QB situation, which, historically since Bradshaw has been a mess, not a single SB or a single HOF player at QB since TB. The Pats, at least had hope with Bledsoe prior to Brady, we had nothing at QB, hacks and fakes and a slacker.

This signing was about building around him, with the New Coach, for years to come.

 

[Stan Musial Jr.]

Re: OT Kinda of: Steelers extend Ben

This signing was about building around him, with the New Coach, for years to come.

They should build around him, Dino -- he's one of the few true franchise QBs out there.

I knew he was good, but had no idea how good until I looked up his numbers... guy's a stud. Ignore some of the less knowledgeable posters here, who have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to any QB besides their own.

Like I said, maybe in the long run your team got a bargain.

 

[SteelerSteve]

whatsup guys? I am back from basic training (navy) and finally in my A School in San Antonio and decided I would throw in my 2 cents. I just wanted to say that I am glad that the Rooney's signed Ben for as long as they have because all of the greats really have played their whole careers with one team, and Ben will have the time to learn this system until it fits him like a glove. IMO he proved all doubters wrong this season though some people just don't let go of their opinions. He has had one bad season, although if you think about it, his "terrible" season consisited of 3500 yards and a qb rating that is about the league average. So I would say that 3 years with a qb rating of 98 or above and one sub par year after a life threatening injury gives nobody any reason to doubt the guy.

 

[VJCPatriot]

whatsup guys? I am back from basic training (navy) and finally in my A School in San Antonio and decided I would throw in my 2 cents. I just wanted to say that I am glad that the Rooney's signed Ben for as long as they have because all of the greats really have played their whole careers with one team, and Ben will have the time to learn this system until it fits him like a glove. IMO he proved all doubters wrong this season though some people just don't let go of their opinions. He has had one bad season, although if you think about it, his "terrible" season consisited of 3500 yards and a qb rating that is about the league average. So I would say that 3 years with a qb rating of 98 or above and one sub par year after a life threatening injury gives nobody any reason to doubt the guy.

I think he's a nice young QB. I just don't think he merits comparison to Tom Brady at this point, unlike you Steeler fans. Go ahead and hype the signing. It was an important one for your franchise. But until Big Ben throws 50 td passes in a season or wins 3 rings, he doesn't belong in the same sentence as Brady, sorry.

 

[Stan Musial Jr.]

I think he's a nice young QB. I just don't think he merits comparison to Tom Brady at this point, unlike you Steeler fans. Go ahead and hype the signing. It was an important one for your franchise. But until Big Ben throws 50 td passes in a season or wins 3 rings, he doesn't belong in the same sentence as Brady, sorry.

Or til he loses a Super Bowl, like Brady?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Or til he loses a Super Bowl, like Brady?

He has to get to 3 more to even attempt to match up against a guy whose won 3 of 4 in his first 7 seasons as a starter. He's got 3 years to close the......gap.

 

[PonyExpress]

I have to agree with Steeler fans here. IMO Ben is the best young QB in the NFL, and I personally rate him above P. Manning, because of his youth, ability to make plays when the pocket break down and his fearless play under pressure. You don't do what Ben's done his 1st 4 years by accident. Mentally he matured a lot last season. A 32 to 11 Td to INT ratio is ridiculous. He has a some flaws in his game, but fewer than just about everyone else on planet earth. He is deadly at the end of games, and plays without fear. This contract was a no-brainer. I think Pat fans tend to underrate him because the Pats usually beat the Steelers like rented mules. Watching him vs other teams paints a truer picture.

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

I think he's a nice young QB. I just don't think he merits comparison to Tom Brady at this point, unlike you Steeler fans. Go ahead and hype the signing. It was an important one for your franchise. But until Big Ben throws 50 td passes in a season or wins 3 rings, he doesn't belong in the same sentence as Brady, sorry.

I agree, he isn't in the same sentence as Brady, its apples to oranges really. Brady was a very late draft pick with zero expectations who turned out to be one of the best QBs to ever play the game. He turned around a struggling offense that Bledsoe kept screwing up and played smart sound football and on a great team, became a winning QB. No doubt about it. Brady is a great QB and still has a few years of winning to go.

Ben was seen as the "Hero" as the first QB taken in the First Round by the Steelers since Terry B. He was the reason we won the Superbowl, because finally we had a QB that wouldn't lose the game for us or make a bonehead play in a big spot. Cowher finally had "his guy" unlike before him, with Odennell, Stewart and Maddox, even Brister, always blowing games for us, Ben stepped up. He's young still and now we can focus on the team around him over the next 6 years (Steeler will re-negotiate with 2 years left on the contract) and we'll see how this new Steelers team does going foward under the Tomlin Regime. Its exciting to know our #7 will be around a while and that our Coach will be around a while as well.

 

[FirstAndGoal]

He deserves the money. He's proven himself. Let's put it this way, who should get that kind of money Vick or Ben?

It's money well spent for the Steelers. Besides, in 5 years, that's going to look like a bargin.

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

He deserves the money. He's proven himself. Let's put it this way, who should get that kind of money Vick or Ben?

It's money well spent for the Steelers. Besides, in 5 years, that's going to look like a bargin.

Agreed, the timing was perfect, and we waited til he proved himself before we went "crazy" with the money. In 5 years...we couldn't have afforded him for sure. 6 years from now we are going to re-negotiate but that'll be for the "Retire a Steeler" Contract.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I agree, he isn't in the same sentence as Brady, its apples to oranges really. Brady was a very late draft pick with zero expectations who turned out to be one of the best QBs to ever play the game. He turned around a struggling offense that Bledsoe kept screwing up and played smart sound football and on a great team, became a winning QB. No doubt about it. Brady is a great QB and still has a few years of winning to go.

Ben was seen as the "Hero" as the first QB taken in the First Round by the Steelers since Terry B. He was the reason we won the Superbowl, because finally we had a QB that wouldn't lose the game for us or make a bonehead play in a big spot. Cowher finally had "his guy" unlike before him, with Odennell, Stewart and Maddox, even Brister, always blowing games for us, Ben stepped up. He's young still and now we can focus on the team around him over the next 6 years (Steeler will re-negotiate with 2 years left on the contract) and we'll see how this new Steelers team does going foward under the Tomlin Regime. Its exciting to know our #7 will be around a while and that our Coach will be around a while as well.

Sorry, I just don't see it. I know Ben can perform in flashes, that is why his QB rating stays fairly high. And he is certainly an improvement over the likes of Slash. But he remains maddeningly inconsistent and prone to high highs like the playoff run and low lows like the Superbowl performance or his struggles against the JAGS last season. Sometimes he even appears to have played well then, statistically or in small game windows. But he is a gunslinger at heart, maybe that is what some love about him - as do some fans in Texas and Wisconcin. He is not a student of the game, and he's a handful to coach. Cowher managed him brilliantly for the first two seasons, but behind the scenes Ben was increasingly chomping at the bit to be something he isn't. I think that is why Cowher left when he did. He got one for the thumb, and he knew the Rooney's would commit to the QB irrespective of some issues the coaches were having with him.

Not sure if Timlin learned the lesson last year, but he seemed to have some eye opening moments on the sidelines over the course of a rookie season that started out with guns a blazing. It's gonna be Ben's way or the highway for his new coaches for the next several seasons as the Steelers live (or die) on the arm of a gunslinger. UNLESS THEY GET BACK TO MANAGING A RUN FIRST OFFENSE THAT PASSES SITUATIONALLY AND STRATEGICALLY AND ASSEMBLING A DEFENSE THAT WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. But then Timlin won't likely feel pressure from the top as the Rooney's on some level likely see it for what it is. And with that thumb ring came contentment to just remain competitive for the time being. Another reason Cowher likely left.

I think Hinds Ward knows what Cowher knew too...

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

Cowher didn't leave because of Ben

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

That manage the run first comment could be said just as well for Tom Brady and the Patriots. They were an establish the run team for a long time while they were winning, this "chuck it around" stuff is kind of new. Pretty sure they always had a very solid and well established running attack during their SB Wins.

 

[GPR11788]

Ben probably the best out of three that came out in the first round in 2004. As much as i hate to say it, I guess Eli's getting there also.