Antonio Brown has entered the growing debate surrounding Ben Roethlisberger’s legacy. After several former Steelers publicly supported Joey Porter Sr.’s criticism of the longtime quarterback, Brown offered a contrasting perspective on social media. Brown is letting everyone know that Big Ben is his quarterback.
Antonio Brown Defends Ben Roethlisberger After Former Steelers Back Joey Porter Sr.
Joey Porter Sr. recently criticized Roethlisberger’s character, calling his former teammate a bad person despite his on-field success. Porter referenced past off-field issues and claimed the organization protected Roethlisberger’s image by keeping certain matters internal. In the days that followed, multiple former Steelers publicly supported Porter’s comments.
Mason Rudolph, who spent four seasons backing up Roethlisberger and started 10 games during that stretch, responded with “Go off.” Former safety Mike Mitchell added, “Talking that talk.” Offensive lineman Mike Adams wrote, “Hold them boys accountable.” Their posts signaled agreement with Porter’s assessment of the two-time Super Bowl champion.
Roethlisberger’s career has included both elite production and controversy. He served a 2010 suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after multiple allegations of sexual assault, but was never criminally charged.
Earlier in his career, he was involved in a serious 2006 motorcycle accident while riding without a helmet or a valid motorcycle license. Porter suggested there were additional situations that remained in-house during their time in Pittsburgh.
Amid the criticism, Brown posted a defense of his former quarterback on his official X account. “Big Ben a great teammate one the best one to have ! you got to earn his respect before he open up coming in talking won’t get his attention ! take it from a six round draft pick.”
Roethlisberger’s on-field résumé stands alone in Steelers lore. He led Pittsburgh to three AFC championships and two Super Bowl titles. Over nearly two decades, he consistently ranked among the league’s top quarterbacks, finishing in the top 12 of PFSN’s Impact Metric 13 times during his career. He and Porter were both inducted into the Steelers’ Hall of Honor in 2025.
Brown and Roethlisberger were central figures in the Steelers’ offense for nearly a decade. Drafted in the sixth round in 2010, Brown developed into a star with Roethlisberger as his quarterback.
From 2013 through 2018, Brown earned seven Pro Bowl selections and four First-Team All-Pro honors, leading the league in receptions twice and receiving yards twice during that span. The duo connected on 74 touchdown passes together and formed one of the most productive quarterback-receiver pairings of all time.
While Porter’s comments reignited debate about Roethlisberger’s character, Brown’s post reflects a different perspective from someone who shared the field and the spotlight with him throughout the prime of his career. That’s AB’s quarterback. His post suggests Porter Sr. and others should show some respect for Roethlisberger’s name.
