Roethlisberger: ‘I lacked in management’ in 2018
PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger took accountability for the Steelers’ 2018 season in 4 necessary phrases.
“I lacked in management,” stated Roethlisberger after the crew’s first organized crew actions session Tuesday. “As a result of that is my job because the chief of this crew to get us to the playoffs. I am gonna have to focus and refocus my vitality and time on, how can I be a greater chief to get us again to the playoffs?”
Addressing the native media at massive for the primary time this offseason, Roethlisberger mentioned his future and the aftermath of the Antonio Brown commerce, which positioned a highlight on the quarterback’s management model. Brown and several other different ex-teammates criticized Roethlisberger for publicly calling out teammates on his weekly radio present final season. Roethlisberger acknowledged in an interview with KDKA-TV Pittsburgh that he most likely went too far in publicly criticizing Brown’s route-running after a Week 12 loss to Denver.
Ben Roethlisberger says he’s going to want to refocus his time and vitality on in an effort to be a greater chief for the Steelers this season. Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports activities
Roethlisberger, 37, stated as a result of management challenges change yearly with new locker room personalities, he plans to get to know his teammates on and off the sphere.
“You simply must concentrate on the fellows which might be right here and ensure they’re good,” Roethlisberger stated. “Everybody I’ve talked to is sweet with me… We have been attacked from all angles this yr, this offseason. We simply want to stay collectively and have one another’s backs.”
Guard Ramon Foster anticipates Roethlisberger will solely develop as a frontrunner.
“When you’ve got a relationship with him, you know the way he’s, what sort of individual he’s,” Foster stated. “If you happen to ask one thing of him, he is going to have the ability to ship.”
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Whereas Roethlisberger hasn’t determined whether or not to proceed his radio present – he does not plan to offend anybody if he stays on air, he stated – he famous his latest three-year contract extension is a agency dedication. The brand new deal takes Roethlisberger to age 39.
“I’ve all the time honored my contracts and I will proceed to honor it,” he stated.
That’s the future, however relating to the previous, Roethlisberger was introspective when requested how he processed the messy divorce with Brown. Roethlisberger defined he by no means bought the possibility to apologize to Brown, who tweeted in February that the quarterback has an ‘proprietor mentality,’ larger than the crew.
“It was laborious to course of it, as a result of I by no means knew something,” stated Roethlisberger about Brown’s eventual departure. “Final time we spoke was on Thursday earlier than the final recreation. We hugged. We had a terrific discuss. The whole lot was good. I knew nothing. So, it was laborious for me to know something. Then I heard from a 3rd celebration there have been points. I reached out to him many occasions, despatched him texts, despatched him calls – that is all earlier than the season was over. By no means heard again. So I may by no means actually discover out what was occurring. For me, that is why it was so complicated. I did not know the place it got here from. The week earlier than was the Saints recreation, proper? Unbelievable recreation. I by no means actually noticed any of it coming. I’d have liked to have had the possibility to speak to him. That is why I stated yesterday, no matter I did to offend him, I apologize for it. I attempted to do this in individual, discuss to him. He would not permit me to.”
Roethlisberger thought the 2 would discuss as soon as Brown returned to the Steelers, however the crew traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders in March.
They may not ever have that discuss. Brown tweeted the phrases ‘Two face’ on Monday, shortly after Roethlisberger’s quotes from the KDKA interview surfaced on-line.