What You Need to Know About Ben Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers found a real gem when they drafted AFL quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Nicknamed “Big Ben,” this Ohio native led the Steelers to the Super Bowl during his second year in the league.

An interest in sports during his high school years perhaps led to Roethlisberger’s success. As captain of the football, basketball and baseball teams, this star in the making finally landed his spot as the quarterback of his high school football team during his senior year. It appears as if that practice paid off - literally. In 2004, when Ben Roethlisberger found his way into the NFL Draft, the Steelers signed him to a six year contract with an impressive signing bonus. During his rookie season, Roethlisberger succeeded with a 13-0 record for the best start by a rookie. In October 2005, just one year after he was selected in the draft, Ben Roethlisberger became the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year as named by the Associated Press.

During his rookie season, passing records were something to be broken by this Findlay High School graduate. Among them, best passer rating and highest completion percentage. It was obvious to all who saw him, including Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells, that this young man was here to play. And play he did. As the 2005 regular season wrapped up, the Steelers had secured the AFC league’s wild card position in the Super Bowl XL. On February 5, 2006, the Steelers took hom the Super Bowl victory in a win against the Seattle Seahawks.

Roethlisberger is far from being your average quarterback. In fact, his stature leaves little doubt that he is a force to be reckoned with. Tied with few others as the tallest starting quarterback in the NFL, “Big Ben” knows how to use his height to read the competition. In addition, his arm seemingly has a knack for guiding the passes to their intended receiver. There is no doubt that height would be an advantage to any quarterback trying to spot an open receiver on the field.

Ben Roethlisberger is the second youngest quarterback to play in the NFL Super Bowl. While he has been compared to many legends of the game, Roethlisberger is out to make a name for himself. With only his second regular season behind him, and 4 years remaining on his contract with the Steelers, it looks as if Pittsburgh can expect “Big Ben” to be a powerhouse for the team in the years to come. What’s next for this NFL superstar? Stay tuned and find out.

Collecting Brian Urlacher

Born in May 1978, this Pasco, Washington native is now an NFL linebacker for the Chicago Bears. As a child, Brian Urlacher moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico with his mother. Following high school, Brian went on to attend college at the University of Mexico. It was here that he shined as a strong safety for the University football team.

Upon graduation, he immediately began pursuing his goal to play professional football and was drafted by the NFL’s Chicago Bears. While most of his experience was as a safety position, he was assigned the position of middle linebacker for the Bears, which gave him the opportunity to showcase his tackling abilities, intelligence, speed and aggressive approach toward winning. An instant star, Urlacher was awarded the title of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2000. Such recognition is not an easy feat, but everything seemed to fall in place for the youngster as he quickly rose to the top defensive rookie player during his inaugural season.

Throughout his career, Urlacher has participated in the Pro Bowl on five occasions and has upheld the Bear’s tradition of impressive linebackers. As a testimonial to his skills, Brian Urlacher was once again recognized in 2006. On January 6, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. An honor awarded by the Associated Press, Urlacher received well over 50% of the panel votes to determine him as the recipient. An impressive 34 panel votes, out of 50, were cast for Urlacher.

Among the many achievements that Brian Ulracher has accomplished include exceeding the Bear’s single season tackle record in 2002. Additionally, he served as the team’s leading tackle position for 3 consecutive years, including 2000, 2001 and 2002. Not only has Urlacher surpassed game records, but sales records as well. At times, his replica jersey has been an NFL bestseller. The collectibles and apparel industry is one of the largest revenue generators for any sport and football is no different. As fans desire to wear a replica jersey of their favorite players, it lends credence to a player’s skills and popularity as fans seek out the merchandise bearing their likeness.

The Chicago Bears have been long since known as a team that has powerful players with spirit to match. The windy city is in line to find great success with a breeze that seems to have brought Brian Urlacher all the way from New Mexico and into to the heart of Chicago and it’s NFL fans.