Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has taken his fair share of hits over the course of an NFL career that has spanned 14 seasons.
It’s in this that Big Ben likely knows what he’s talking about when it comes to whether a specific hit was dirty or not. Following the hit Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr laid on Aaron Rodgers this past week, Big Ben was asked about a situation that will likely force Green Bay’s starter out for the remainder of the season.
“Watching it, I didn’t think it was dirty, Roethlisberger said, via ESPN. “I’ve seen dirtier.”
A lot has been made about the hit in question, including Packers head coach Mike McCarthy calling it “illegal.”
For its part, the NFL has made clear that in no way was Barr’s hit that caused Rodgers to break a collarbone illegal. Even then, still some in Green Bay have found a way to blame Minnesota’s linebacker for what could be a lost season.
In looking at the play, Rodgers was out of the pocket. He’s proven to be a threat to run. He was nothing more than a running back at that time. If we’re going to concldue that Barr’s hit was illegal, then running backs themselves will have a field day in today’s NFL.
In any event, Big Ben decided to take a stance that mirrors most people outside of the Green Bay area itself.