Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers head into Cleveland in Week 1. With a win, Big Ben would do something no Browns quarterback has done since 1999.
Here’s the skinny. Roethlisberger has won 10 games against the Browns in games played in Cleveland. The only Browns quarterback to equal that win in Cleveland since 1999 is Derek Anderson, who went 16-18 during his tenure, winning 10 of his 16 games at home.
So, with a win Sunday, Roethlisberger would have won more games in Cleveland than any Browns quarterback in nearly 20 years.
Interestingly enough, the Browns could have drafted Roethlisberger back in 2004. He worked out for the franchise before the 2004 NFL Draft and likely thought he might end up in Cleveland, which owned the No. 6 overall pick that year.
#Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger recalls his private workout for #Browns before being drafted: "I thought I did really good, but I guess not"
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) November 16, 2016
Instead of taking Roethlisberger, the Browns took tight end Kellen Winslow out of Miami. While Winslow did have a couple of decent campaigns in Cleveland, he never did anything close to justifying the No. 6 overall pick used to select him.
All Roethlisberger has done since being drafted by the Steelers five picks later (No. 11 overall) is start 183 games, compiling a record of 123-60 and winning two Super Bowl rings along the way.
Hopefully for the Browns, DeShone Kizer works out. He’s going to get his first NFL start on Sunday, when hopefully he can remain on his feet and live to fight another day.