Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger spoke out earlier this week and criticized today's NFL players, saying they have a “me-first attitude”. Essentially, Big Ben believes is used to be a team-first mindset but in his eyes, that's all changed. Well, one of Roethlisberger's long-time teammates didn't take kindly to the comments in Cam Heyward.
The veteran defensive lineman fired back at Big Ben's remarks and explained why he believes his ex-QB is completely wrong. Via ESPN:
“It looks as though we are looked at as selfish players, and I don't think that's the point,”he said on the “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast. “We have a lot of young players that come from different backgrounds, have experienced different things from what others or I may have experienced. That doesn't make them selfish or more of a me-type attitude. … There are a lot more team-first guys than me-type attitude. I took offense to that.”
Heyward even used the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown as prime examples of players who get criticized for their personalities, yet they're actually team guys:
“I'm accountable for those guys,” Cameron Heyward said. “Obviously we haven't had a Super Bowl in a long time, and maybe that's where Ben is like, ‘Man, if those guys would have grown up.' But it's up to the older guys to step up and hold guys accountable. … It's up to a vet to put you under your wing and pull you across and say, Hey, this is what it's like to be Pittsburgh Steeler.' And that's what I'm trying to do.
“Maybe Ben didn't see it that way, but man, I'm going to protect my guys. You just can't say it's a ‘me-type of attitude' now. Everyone's out to be a Super Bowl winner, make money, one day be an MVP. But when it all comes together, we care about one thing, this logo right here. … I've always tried to extend that to my younger teammates. I think Ben was a little out on that one.”
Cameron Heyward certainly has a point but Roethlisberger isn't wrong either when it comes to the coddling comments. College players are now getting paid and even certain guys in the NFL will hold out if they don't get paid. That does feel a bit selfish.
However, in the end, the goal is the same for every single player: To win a Super Bowl. There is no way that would happen if it was a me-first attitude all the time. Plus, Big Ben wouldn't have had the success he did without his teammates, too. Certainly two ways to look at the comments and Cam Heyward certainly makes a valid point. He never meant to call out Roethlisberger, though.
“Don't say Cam is calling out Ben — it's not like that,” Heyward said.
Follow Us
Subscribe