Ben Roethlisberger’s career and legacy in Pittsburgh are complex, to say the least. He is celebrated for delivering two Super Bowl titles, becoming the face of the franchise in his 17-year run from 2004 to 2021. However, his leadership style and certain less desirable traits have often been questioned.
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Big Ben was suspended in 2010 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and later admitted he lost himself amid fame and success. Over the years, teammates such as Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown have criticized his lack of engagement and leadership.
The latest to join that group is former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, who played with Roethlisberger from 2004 to 2006. Porter set off a major conversation this week after delivering blunt criticism of his quarterback during an appearance on Cameron Heyward’s podcast.
Porter accused Roethlisberger of “breaking the brotherhood” inside the Steelers locker room and crossing lines that, according to him, teammates chose not to publicly discuss. “Seven definitely broke the brotherhood,” he said.
“The stuff that Seven did that we don’t talk about is crazy. Out of anybody, he should never grab a microphone and really talk Steelers business. If we [are] talking Steelers business, his ass is foul of all foul,” added Porter.
On Nightcap, Shannon Sharpe reacted to Porter’s comments, stating that he wasn’t shocked by what was said. Sharpe argued that much of what Porter referenced had been common knowledge within NFL circles for years.
“They didn’t talk about it because it was going to be tough for Ben to get in on the first ballot,” Sharpe said. “Everybody knew some of the things that were going on that didn’t get reported.”
According to Sharpe, Roethlisberger’s status as a franchise quarterback shielded him from criticism that other players might get subjected to.
“I’m not an insider. I ain’t looking to put nobody’s personal business on blast,” added Sharpe. “But everybody knew… I met him in his rookie season. With that being said, I’m not surprised.”
Porter also called Roethlisberger “not a good teammate” despite winning a Super Bowl with him. “Do I love my quarterback? Yeah. But is he a good person? No,” he added. “Anybody in the Steeler building knows that. But we protected him.”
The former linebacker then shared an early locker-room incident when Roethlisberger refused to sign autographs for a teammate’s family member. Porter viewed it as a sign of poor leadership. He contrasted that behavior with former captains like Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward, who he said embodied true team-first values.
Porter’s remarks came amid broader criticism from former Steelers players toward head coach Mike Tomlin. James Harrison has openly questioned Tomlin’s Hall of Fame credentials, while Roethlisberger stirred controversy in 2025 by suggesting Tomlin should consider coaching at Penn State.
Although Porter was relatively diplomatic about Harrison, he took Roethlisberger’s comments personally.
“What makes it crazy for me to watch them two talk like that,” Porter said. “[They are] acting like we don’t have the real receipts of how this really works,” Porter argued that Tomlin played a major role in their success and deserved more respect.
To his credit, Roethlisberger made efforts to improve in later seasons, hosting teammates at his home, restructuring his contract to help retain players, and publicly advocating for others’ extensions. Still, tensions persisted, particularly late in his career, including disputes over roster decisions and public comments about teammates.
What is surprising, however, is that despite past friction, Antonio Brown came to Roethlisberger’s defense following Porter’s comments.
“Big Ben [is] a great teammate, one of the best one[s] to have,” Brown wrote on X. “You [have] got to earn his respect before he open[s] up… coming in talking won’t get his attention.”
Big Ben a great teammate one the best one to have ! you got to earn his respect before he open up coming in talking won’t get his attention ! take it from a six round draft pick 🔍
— AB (@AB84) February 12, 2026
Brown emphasized that Roethlisberger demanded professionalism and commitment, especially from younger players. Clearly, Porter’s remarks have reopened long-standing debates about Roethlisberger’s leadership and character inside the Steelers’ locker room.
In the end, Ben’s legacy remains layered: A Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback who brought championships to Pittsburgh, but whose leadership style continues to divide those who played beside him.
