It was 2017 and the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the premier teams in the league at the time, having clinched the AFC North division. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was still in peak form as he was gunning for a fourth-straight Pro Bowl appearance. Times have changed but after missing some time off due to an injury, Roethlisberger is now back on his feet.

Recently, Steelers tight end Vance McDonald spoke on a Steelers fan call where he was asked numerous questions about the upcoming season. He also bared his observations on the long-time quarterback:

“Ben’s had a ton of success at his position, he’s been doing it for a long time. I’ve never seen Seven like this … He has a fire under him, and he is so hungry to not only get the season rolling but to win it all. Looking back on it now, obviously it was horrible having him out last year, but it has been so cool to see the transition through fighting through the elbow injury, having surgery in the offseason, talking to him through that, and now seeing him out there a couple days here at camp, and he’s rifling the ball around… It is amazing to have that ‘Seven’ that I’ve heard of, that I’ve seen when I first got here, to have it back, it’s been so cool.”

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With a more complete cast this time around, the Steelers are looking to surpass their 8-8 record last season. Star wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster is also coming back from an injury, with outside linebacker T.J. Watt, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick all anchoring the defense. They are looking to return to the playoff picture after missing out on two-straight seasons.

Steelers nation will see their veteran gunslinger back in action again on September 14 as the team will visit the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.

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