Ben Roethlisberger is in a unique position to understand Tom Brady’s mindset and didn’t see this coming at all.
Roethlisberger, who is entering his 16th year with the Steelers, was shocked when Brady left the Patriots for the Buccaneers last week after two decades in New England.
“I thought for sure he would go back. But sometimes, there might be deeper wounds than people might realize. I don’t know if that’s the case or not,” Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
However, Roethlisberger believes Brady will “love” playing under Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians, who was the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2011. Arians and Roethlisberger reached two Super Bowls together for the Steelers, winning it all in the 2008 season and falling short in the 2010 season.
Arians has said Roethlisberger is “like a son to me.” Roethlisberger has referred to the second-year Bucs coach as a “second father.” And after rumors of Brady’s strained relationship with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Roethlisberger thinks Brady will appreciate the change.
Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady in 2018Icon Sportswire via Getty Images“B.A. is a great quarterbacks coach and a great players’ coach,” said Roethlisberger, 38. “Tom is going to love it there. Talk about going from opposite ends of the spectrum with coaches.”
Roethlisberger said he texted former teammate Byron Leftwich, who has been Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator since January 2019, when the Brady news broke.
“I asked him what he’s going to do now that he’s coaching the GOAT,” Roethlisberger said. “He texted right back, ‘Just stay out of his way.’”
