Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Takes A Passive Aggressive Shot At NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing off against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 at Acrisure Stadium, and the highly anticipated matchup against one of the powerhouse teams in the NFC (San Francisco 49ers) should be a special one for fans. For the first time since 2014 and just the 10th time since the home of the Steelers opened as Heinz Field in 2001. Former Steelers star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was under center the last time Pittsburgh had a chance to open the season at home, and he laments that it happened so few times in his career.

During a recent episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, he and his co-host, Spencer Te'o, mused about whether Brock Purdy would be the starting quarterback and how the San Francisco defense would be an important first test for the Pittsburgh offense. Roethlisberger then voiced his frustration about the lack of home openers in Week 1 while pinning the blame on a popular target, league commissioner, Roger Goodell.  

"It's just amazing that the NFL gives the Steelers a home game in Week 1," he said. "I would love to know what that feels like. Thanks, Roger [Goodell]."

Te'o, amid laughter, burst out, "You can't fine me," to which Roethlisberger responded, "You [Goodell] can't get me now." He concluded the little segment getting back on topic and saying he was very encouraged by what he had seen from Pittsburgh up to that point in the preseason, with the episode being released just before the exhibition finale against the Atlanta Falcons.    

To be fair to the commissioner, he is not actually in charge of devising the schedule. There's a team of people at the NFL office whose sole purpose is to figure out the mess involved. They deal with 32 different franchises who all have varying wants and needs when it comes to what their schedules will look like. 

NBC Sports' Peter King had two of the people on that team, the NFL's Vice-President of Broadcasting, Onnie Bose and Vice President of Broadcast Planning, Mike North, on his podcast back in May before the release to try and peel back the curtain for fans on the kinds of discussions that are being had in coming up with the league's yearly calendar. 

As both are focused on broadcasting, appeasing the different broadcast partners was one of the major factors they discussed. They also mentioned having to deal with every team's venue schedule, plus the ones overseas in London, England and Germany. Goodell, obviously, as the head of the league, is involved with the decision-making, but isn't the lead on scheduling. It's probably a reach for Roethlisberger to pin the whole thing on him, but he probably already knows that.

Steelers' Roethlisberger Held Impressive Record In Week 1 Home Openers

While he didn't have a Week 1 game in front of home fans for seven years to end his career, Roethlisberger had a 4-1 record in the Week 1 home openers that he did get to play in. In his rookie season, in 2004, Pittsburgh opened the campaign at home, but Tommy Maddox got the start and the win over the then-Oakland Raiders 24-21. Jerome Bettis scored three times and Jeff Reed kicked a field goal in the last 10 seconds to steal the victory. 

In 2005, Roethlisberger got his first taste of opening the season at Heinz Field with a win by dominating the Tennesse Titans 34-7, while throwing for 218 yards and two touchdowns. In 2006, Pittsburgh opened the season at home again, but Roethlisberger was forced to watch in street clothes due to an emergency appendectomy. Backup Charlie Batch threw for three touchdowns, and Joey Porter Sr. iced the Miami Dolphins with a 42-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter to go up 28-21.   

Pittsburgh opened the season at Heinz Field in 2008 and welcomed the Houston Texans. It wasn't a very warm welcome, though. Roethlisberger was 13 for 14 for 137 yards with a touchdown, and running back, Willie Parker ran for three scores as the Steelers won 38-17.      

Two years later, in 2010, Pittsburgh was back opening the season in front of their home fans, but Roethlisberger was forced to miss the game due to his four-game suspension under the NFL personal conduct policy. Reed kicked three field goals, and Rashard Mendenhall ran for a 50-yard score as the Steelers prevailed 15-9 over the Falcons. 

Roethlisberger suffered his only loss, 16-9 to the Titans, in 2013 as the offense struggled. They punted seven times, turned the ball over twice, and only scored once, with Roethlisberger connecting with Jerricho Cotchery late in the fourth to make the score look more respectable. In his final home season opener against the Cleveland Browns in 2014, he threw for 365 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown to Antonio Brown. LeGarrette Blount and Le'Veon Bell each ran for a score, and Shaun Suisham kicked a field goal as time expired to win 30-27.   

With such a great record in those games, it's understandable that Roethlisberger wishes he'd have had more chances. If he hadn't been injured or suspended, his record might've been even better. Backups Batch and Dennis Dixon got wins in those missed games.