It’s no secret that in a couple of years, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger goes to be enshrined into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in Canton, capping an amazing profession as among the best quarterbacks of his era and among the best quarterbacks of all-time within the NFL.
He may be joined by two teammates earlier than then, too.
Former Steelers’ vast receiver Hines Ward and outdoors linebacker James Harrison have been named semifinalists for the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame Class of 2024 on Tuesday morning. A longtime teammate of Harrison and Ward, Roethlisberger believes each are worthy of enshrinement within the Corridor of Fame.
Showing on 102.5 WDVE’s Morning Present Tuesday together with his Randy Baumann, Roethlisberger made the case for each Harrison and Ward entering into the Corridor of Fame attributable to their impression on the sport, even when the general numbers may not be there.
“It’s a type of issues as an offensive participant, after I was standing on the sideline watching him, I’ve by no means, that I can consider like rapidly as I’m attempting to go, there’s some guys that have been actually gifted that might change a sport. And I see T.J. [Watt] doing it now, however that actually at any second he may change the sport,” Roethlisberger stated of Harrison, based on audio through the WDVE Morning Present’s podcast. “Like, any third down, any time that that man dropped again to cross, you might be pondering we would get the ball as a result of he’s both making the man throw it quick, he’s gonna hit the man so laborious that he loses his head or the ball, or he’s gonna get sacked.
“Actually anytime it was third down, you’re like, ‘we would get the ball proper right here.’ He may change the sport, and it was superior to look at. I’m so grateful he was on my staff for all these years. He ought to get in, little doubt about it. You guys talked in regards to the Tremendous Bowl play. I imply, iconic, simply put that image of him working the ball again proper behind his bust and he’s in, proper?”
Harrison was a game-changer throughout his time within the league. After bouncing across the NFL with the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, and spending a while in NFL Europe, Harrison went on to spend 14 seasons with the Steelers. He at present sits second in profession sacks with 80.5 in franchise historical past after Watt broke the document towards the Cleveland Browns in Week Two this season. Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is poised to surpass Harrison this season, too.
In his profession which spanned 15 seasons, Harrison recorded 811 tackles, 84.5 sacks, 34 pressured fumbles, 9 recoveries, eight interceptions and a landing. He additionally has a Defensive Participant of the Yr award in 2008 on his resume, and was voted first-team All-Professional twice, incomes 5 journeys to the Professional Bowl as nicely.
Moreover, Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a landing towards the Arizona Cardinals in Tremendous Bowl XLIII stays a high NFL play of all-time. He retired a two-time Tremendous Bowl champion and performed in 4 Tremendous Bowls.
Not solely did he make some unimaginable performs as a cross rusher, there was an intimidation issue with Harrison, one which Roethlisberger noticed together with his personal two eyes from the sideline weekly.
“Sure. I’ve talked to many quarterbacks that have been scared to loss of life of him,” Roethlisberger stated. “I used to be scared to loss of life of him, and he was on my staff.”
As for Ward, the stats may not be there for him when in comparison with different receivers within the historical past of the NFL, and even in the identical Corridor of Fame semifinalist class, however his mindset, play type and management places Ward within the Corridor of Fame for Roethlisberger.
That mindset was on show anytime Ward acquired the ball close to the top zone, too. As Roethlisberger stated, Ward turned probably the most egocentric participant on the sphere when he acquired the ball close to the purpose line — in a great way.
“The intangible issues that he did, the performs he made, the, the hassle performs. Not simply in blocking, but when he acquired the ball across the five-yard line, Hines Ward was probably the most egocentric man on the soccer subject as a result of he was getting in that finish zone,” Roethlisberger stated, based on audio through WDVE’s Morning Present podcast. “If he sniffed that finish zone, he was gonna discover a strategy to get in. And that’s what made him nice is the selfishness to get in the long run zone to assist the staff.”
Ward was a third-round select of the College of Georgia within the 1998 NFL Draft and performed 14 seasons with the Steelers, including two Lombardi trophies and a Tremendous Bowl MVP to his resume throughout his profession within the Black and Gold. He completed with 1,000 profession receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns within the 14 seasons and was thought-about one of the best blocking vast receiver within the sport all through his profession.
These are sturdy numbers, however they don’t match up towards different receivers from his period. Nonetheless, he had the intangibles. Nice management, powerful as nails, one of the best blocking receiver in soccer. He was additionally the explanation the league modified the foundations on the crackback block due to how violent Ward was. Cincinnati linebacker Keith Rivers discovered that out the laborious approach.
As a part of the semifinalists for the Class of 2024, a gaggle that was initially trimmed down from 173 nominees in mid-September, Harris and Ward now wait to search out out if they’re members of the 15 modern-era finalists earlier than the Class of 2024 is unveiled earlier than Tremendous Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on Feb. 8, 2024.
