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Whereas he by no means performed for the coach, former Steelers exterior linebacker Joey Porter goes to bat for Mike Tomlin whereas taking intention at two former teammates who’ve been outspoken about Tomlin since he determined to step down as Pittsburgh’s chief.
Fellow former Steelers exterior linebacker James Harrison has been extraordinarily vocal in his criticism of Tomlin, going so far as to say he is not a Corridor of Fame-caliber coach. Former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t been as excessive, however he did make headlines when he prompt late within the 2025 season that Tomlin ought to develop into Penn State’s new coach. Roethlisberger has since stated on his podcast that it was in all probability time for a change relating to the Steelers’ teaching publish.
Porter, who additionally served on Pittsburgh’s teaching workers from 2015-18, was largely diplomatic by way of his feedback relating to Harrison, however issues bought private when he mentioned Roethlisberger, his teammate from 2004-06.
“Seven positively broke the brotherhood,” Porter stated on Steelers defensive sort out Cameron Heyward’s podcast. “The shit that Seven did that we do not speak about is loopy. Out of anyone, he ought to by no means seize a microphone and actually discuss Steelers enterprise, as a result of if we’re speaking Steelers enterprise, his ass is foul of all foul, just like the shit that he did is foul of all foul.
“He isn’t an excellent teammate. Received a Tremendous Bowl with him, however the individual, he is simply not an excellent teammate. Like he is aware of that, anyone within the Steeler constructing is aware of that, however we protected him, as a result of I’ve solely received one Tremendous Bowl, and that was my quarterback. So do I really like my quarterback? Yeah, however is he an excellent individual? No.”
When requested why he felt Roethlisberger was a nasty teammate, Porter talked about that Roethlisberger didn’t signal autographs for teammates’ members of the family throughout his rookie season. Porter, a staff captain on the time, determined to have a gathering with Roethlisberger after he particularly declined to signal one thing for defensive finish Aaron Smith.
“Who the hell is simply too cool to signal to your teammate?” stated Porter, alluding to former teammate and Corridor of Fame working again Jerome Bettis and his fixed willingness to do issues for teammates and followers. “I all the time checked out it like this. Have a look at the staff when Joey was a captain, when Jerome was captain, when Hines Ward was a captain. You heard nothing within the locker room.
“Captains must do captain shit, proper? We voted to be captains; you needed to be voted in. He got here in an period the place they simply gave you a seat, as a result of if he wasn’t a captain, he’d in all probability have a hissy match, however no person’s going to vote for him as captain as a result of he do not haven’t any captain qualities.”
Past his alleged locker room points, Roethlisberger was suspended for 4 video games in 2010 amid a violation of the NFL’s private conduct coverage, as a number of ladies accused him of misconduct in 2008 and 2010.
“I bought caught up being Massive Ben the entire time,” Roethlisberger stated on the time. “I misplaced monitor of who Ben Roethlisberger was. It is not one thing I am pleased with.
“Massive Ben simply stored increase. It ended up coming off the sphere. It stored taking on. Superman stored taking on Clark Kent and also you simply by no means noticed who Ben Roethlisberger was anymore. On the time, I did not see it. I used to be gaining every little thing, however I used to be shedding a variety of who I used to be raised to be.”
Roethlisberger himself beforehand acknowledged that he wasn’t all the time the perfect teammate. He did, nonetheless, preserve some shut relationships throughout his early years in Pittsburgh with a number of teammates, particularly Bettis and former tight finish Heath Miller, amongst others. In later years, he developed a detailed bond with heart Maurkice Pouncey, who was inducted into the Steelers Corridor of Honor this previous 12 months alongside Roethlisberger and Porter.
In 2019, departing teammates Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown each questioned Roethlisberger’s management or lack thereof. Considered one of their criticisms of Roethlisberger was that he did not spend sufficient time with them exterior of the ability.
Roethlisberger appeared to reply by internet hosting Pittsburgh’s ability gamers at his lake home that offseason. He additionally pulled the plug on his native radio present, which frequently led to public criticisms of teammates, like Martavis Bryant in 2015 and fellow receiver James Washington in 2018.
In later years, Roethlisberger publicly vouched for a number of teammates to get contract extensions, like working again James Conner previous to Conner changing into a free agent after the 2020 season. In 2021, his remaining season in Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger agreed to a contract restructure that cleared $15 million, which helped Pittsburgh re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster, one among Roethlisberger’s favourite receivers.
Whereas he at the very least gave the impression to be a greater teammate throughout his later seasons, Roethlisberger wasn’t excellent. In 2018, for instance, he loudly questioned the Steelers’ resolution to draft fellow quarterback Mason Rudolph, who supported Porter’s feedback on social media. He not too long ago alluded to the Steelers giving him a “heart that had by no means performed heart earlier than” for his remaining season (he has since apologized to stated heart, Kendrick Inexperienced).
Roethlisberger additionally hasn’t been shy because it pertains to how his profession in Pittsburgh ended. Whereas he in the end selected to retire as an alternative of enjoying elsewhere, he acknowledged that at the very least one of many Steelers’ head decision-makers did not need him again after the 2021 season. It seems that led to the harboring of some destructive emotions, at the very least on Roethlisberger’s aspect.
So far as the criticism of Tomlin is worried, Roethlisberger and Harrison have their very own podcasts and have by no means been afraid to specific their opinions. And whereas each are entitled to their stances, Porter does not really feel that both is able to converse negatively of somebody who did a lot for his or her careers, his included.
“What makes it loopy for me to look at them two discuss like that and actually act like we do not have the true receipts of how this actually works,” Porter stated. “Like, you realize what he simply did for y’all? … After they inform their tales, you will assume Mike did not do shit for them. I do not know learn how to shit on any individual that appeared out for me.”
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