How Ben Roethlisberger Grew Up and Became One of the NFL’s Great Teammates

August 6, 2015   ·   Dan Pompei   ·   Jump to comments

On a sunny summer morning at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on Pittsburgh's South Side, we find wide receiver Markus Wheaton running a crossing route. He catches a dart from Ben Roethlisberger in an OTA practice. Despite the glowering defensive presence of James Harrison, Wheaton continues across the field. 
The veteran linebacker, as solid and thick as an overpass support beam, has built a career out of making foolish receivers regret the day they first tried on a helmet. If this had been a game—or maybe even a training camp practice—the play would have concluded with Wheaton flat on his back, incapable of counting to three.
Afterward, Roethlisberger calls Wheaton over. Some quarterbacks might give their receiver a tip on how to avoid the linebacker or applaud him for bravery. Roethlisberger does something different. Quietly, he tells Wheaton to get down next time. He is not concerned about how many extra passing yards he might get if Wheaton stays on h...

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