APSteelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has taken a lot of hits in his career.
But he said Tuesday he’s “still very sore” after a shot to the chest from Ravens linebacker Courtney Upshaw last Thursday.
Upshaw was flagged for roughing the passer on the play, after drilling Roethlisberger on a clean run.
“I’m hurting today as much as I was at any point I can think of in the last year,” Roethlisberger said on 93.7 The Fan, via Scott Brown of ESPN.com.
Roethlisberger said it was the hardest he’s been hit since Bart Scott leveled him in 2006.
“This is easily right there with a close second,” Roethlisberger said. “I lost my breath instantly and remember hitting the ground thinking, ‘Boy, that hurt a lot.’ I kind of pride myself on not taking those big hits, but I sure as heck didn’t see it coming.”
He clearly didn’t see his own play falling off this way either. He was 22-of-37 for 217 yards and an interception, and the Steelers have scored just three field goals in their last six quarters.
It won’t get any easier for him Sunday night, against a Panthers defense which is top-five in both yards and points allowed.
Upshaw is a dirty bust.
How the hell was that flagged as roughing the passer? So we can protect grown ass men but not kids and women?
CHOO..CHOO…Panthers “D” coming for you hard.
i still don’t get why a penalty was called on that play, from the way i saw it Ben became a runner and tucked the ball away and then got hit square in the chest.
granted it was with the crown of his helmet, but he tried and did wrap him up as well
That was a hell of a hit, you knew he was getting flagged but it won them the game. I also sometimes wonder if modern QBs have come to rely on the protective rules too much, like it has dulled their instincts for not getting poleaxed in the chest.
That was a pretty stout hit. Too bad he didn’t respond like Cutler did and go off.
I’m starting to feel like it is going to be a long season for Pittsburgh.
It wasn’t with the “crown” of his helmet. He was looking forward with both arms extended.
This wasn’t some James Harrison or Ryan Clark lower head like a ram and try to deliver a knockout blow hit. It was a great hit.
And because everyone will be betting Panthers hard, don’t be surprised to see Steelers hang right in there and maybe even win the game.
It’s all about Vegas, baby!
That’s as clean a hit as you can ever expect. His head may have been some what down but if that’s a penalty then every hit in the NFL is.
Violent looking doesn’t make it a penalty.
Roethlisberger calling “injury” again? Color me surprised.
Wow…Big Ben needs another nickname that reflects who he really is.
Allow me to bring out my tiny violin …
Upshaw’s hit was clean, and should be shown to pee-wee football kids to learn how to hit properly. That was textbook.
Steelers have never put these big hits on the Ravens. The Ravens have been a more physical team than them for years.
GREAT hit. Not sure if it should have been flagged but it was definitely worth the flag…
Great hit! Shouldn’t have been flagged! IMO
Shoot…I’m a lifelong Steeler fan and even I thought it was a clean hit. I don’t like the direction the NFL is going these days as far as all these “personal fouls”.
Was a great hit. Should have NEVER been flagged. The NFL is getting ridiculous.
– Steeler fan
Older and slower. You can expect a lot more of that, Steeler Nation…
Your time has passed.
Ironically I was there for both the Bart Scott hit in 06 and last Thursday’s by Upshaw. The roar afterwards in the Bank is priceless.
I did not care for that hit being called a penalty. Although I will take the 15 yards along with a sore Ben over him getting away and making a long pass down the field.
Steelers are pretty weak
In todays NFL, that’s a penalty. Upshaw shouda went lower. I did think it made a difference though, a good one, for The Ravens.
Ironically I was there for both the Bart Scott hit in 06 and last Thursday’s by Upshaw. The roar afterwards in the Bank is priceless.
I bet it almost surpassed the applause for the wife beater in preseason.
“Steelers have never put these big hits on the Ravens. The Ravens have been a more physical team than them for years”
I guess he forgot about Clark’s knockout hit on McGehee in the 08 AFC Championship game.
The officiating was terrible in that game, this hit included, and even more that went against the Steelers. And I say this as a Ravens fan. Too many flags for plain ol’ hard football hits. This is Ravens/Steelers – it’s supposed to hurt.
Even though it wasn’t a foot or ankle injury Big Ben should wear different colored shoes against the Panthers just to make sure everyone knows he is playing hurt. #brings6points to the table
i dont like the fact that plays like this are now called penalties. HOWEVER, this is what the league is calling. Roethlisberger was not a runner, as he was still in the pocket, and as we all remember, when Colt Mccoy ran out of the pocket, and James Harrison hit him the exact same way, it was a major fine. As I said, I dont like the new call, but its what the leagues calling right now, so for all of those saying its a BS call, its what the leagues calling, so it was the correct call. Also As for the comment about he hit him withhis face mask, James Harrison also hit Drew Brees withhis facemask, and it was also called a personal foul. So either James Harrison did nothing wrong, or the league had a venddetta out against him. Either way, we as fans cant pretend these hits arent being called as penalties. Players had to adjust, and so do us fans. We cant keep saying it was a text book hit. That text book has been thrown out by goodell
Shouldn’t have been flagged but it’s a penalty you can live with — call it a tone settter.
All you have to do is look at the photo, at this point, Roethlisberger was already, Hit lifted off his feet, and after his feet came back down, Upshaws Helmet still has the crown on Roethlisbergers chest. Again, To me its good hard football, but the league now calls this personal foul. Insert your Teams QB, and you would be screaming for a penalty.
Perfect hard hits being called penalties is ruining the game. NFL has become soft. Welcome to our world. #legionofboom
First, that was a perfectly good hit and I couldn’t figure out why it was flagged. Can’t hit them in the head. Shouldn’t go for the knees. That was a solid, wrap-up tackle. Good job, Courtney! Roll Tide!
Second, I hope Colbert and Tomlin watch that film over and over so maybe the Steelers will think about drafting defenders from Alabama and the SEC. It certainly couldn’t hurt.
Third, if you tell the media Bart Scott’s was the hardest hit you’ve ever taken, it seems only natural that some young stud would want to out-do Scott. Save those stories for after retirement.
Fourth, when James Harrison was flagged for landing hits like that, I screamed to high heaven that he shouldn’t be flagged. A good hit is a good hit, no matter which team makes it. Gosh, I miss James.
It was a hit that was very similar to the one Vontaze Burfict put on Flacco in week 1 after he threw it. That wasn’t a penalty (nor was it called) and neither should this one have been. That being said, I’ll take an opening drive hit like that, even with the flag, every game because as someone else said, it was a trendsetter.
I miss the hits of Ronnie Lott, James Harrison, Jack Lambert etc, We can all say Upshaws hit was great, and say we love good hard hitting football, but the truth is, under todays rules it’s penalty, and calling it otherwise is simply reminiscing. I saw one user post earlier, it was a crown of the helmet hit, but shouldnt be penalized? In todays game unless youre a running back, or a line man, any crown of the helmet hit is going to draw a flag.
Can someone please explain to me the difference between the Upshaw on Ben hit and the Burfict on Flacco hit 4 days earlier. The only diff was that Flacco had released the ball. All Burfict got was a concussion…no flag.
Good Hit by the LB but its not going to faze the toughest qb in the NFL. I will say it shouldnt have been a flag but either should Troy Polamalu’s hit or Mike Mitchells crushing blow. The league is soften every year.
Panthers DL say to Ben Ha YOUR NEXT
These new rules have ruined the Ravens and Steelers games. I still see a lot of concussions regardless of the amount of rules enforced.
That was the cleanest hit I ever saw congrats Goodell and the NFL you have completely ruined the game. Time to boycott football. Can’t wait till a real mans sports starts in Oct go NHL football might as well be touch 2/12. To almost 3 hour games now do to the amount of flags. Ask the people and announcers who watched 49ers game sad people sad
Life long Steeler fan. That was a good old fashioned hit. But with Mike Munchak in control of the O-line, why are hits like those even happening ? FIRE TODD HALEY. Ben was waving off Haley’s plays, just like during Haley’s first season with Pittsburgh. Haley is a terrible fit for this team and for Ben. Ben will never make another Superbowl as along as Haley is there and he may not even finish his career with Pittsburgh because of Haley. Because of that hit, Ben will not fully recover and play like his old self the rest of the season.
Penalty was called because he speared him with his helmet in the chest, ya can’t do that guys. Don’t know why people are still expressing confusion about the call.
I’m a Steelers fan and I thought that was a bad call. But it’s hard to sympathize for too long after we later had 2 horrible calls on both Mitchell and Troy that helped them on that TD drive. Refs unnecessarily involve themselves too much in the game on both sides. But that’s the league the commish wants. Smh.
Hard hit. Used to be OK but now it’s a penalty.
The hit got Ben’s attention and his play declined dramatically afterwards for the rest of the game.
It was a great penalty to take.
If only the Steelers hit Flacco like that early on things would’ve been different.
Gee Ben talking about being in pain. What else is new.