Recently, Ben Roethlisberger admitted that he initially did not root for Kenny Pickett to succeed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Pat McAfee said on his show that it is cool that Roethlisberger admitted that, and that it shows the real emotions that a human goes through when retiring from the NFL.

“Everybody just assumes that this is a movie, and that humans aren't involved, and that humans don't have feelings and emotions and egos and pride, and everything like that,” Pat McAfee said on his show. “So the fact that Ben Roethlisberger, who, hall of famer, certified, hall of famer, comes out and says like, ‘Yeah I'm gonna be honest, I'm passed it now so I guess I can say this. Yeah I f***ing hated it. Like I'm not gonna say I wanted you to fail, kinda though,' I mean certainly, you know if you kinda read through the tea leaves.”

McAfee went on to say that he thinks it is cool that Roethlisberger admitted this, and that it is cool that Kenny Pickett has Roethlisberger to talk to when struggling with anything. His cohost AJ Hawk agreed with his sentiment. AJ Hawk then brought up how Michael Irvin felt the same way when watching the Dallas Cowboys.

McAfee then brought up how he did not like the first punter the Indianapolis Colts signed after his retirement after he did a press conference. Then he contrasted it to how he met Rigoberto Sanchez, and rooted for his success.

It seems that Roethlisberger is not alone in how he felt when it comes to retiring from the NFL and watching players who replaced them.