3 controversies that could dampen Ben Roethlisberger's legacy
Ben Roethlisberger is potentially wrapping up his NFL career at the start of 2022. It's a career that has featured two Super Bowl victories and some nonstop success with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It appears Roethlisberger is right on his way to enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame whenever he becomes eligible.
Unfortunately, his legacy is not one without controversy. Roethlisberger has some serious past legal issues that just can't be ignored when discussing his legacy. None of them should prevent him from making the Hall of Fame, but they are serious enough to revisit as his career nears its end.
3 controveries from the past that could affect Ben Roethlisberger's legacy
#3 - 2006 motorcycle accident
Ben Roethlisberger was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in June 2006. He was fresh off a Super Bowl victory and was enjoying a rise in NFL stardom. But the accident was so bad it could have been fatal.
The quarterback was not wearing a helmet, and as a result, he broke both his nose and his jaw. He had to undergo emergency surgery, but was able to return for the regular season.
3 things I’ll remember from Roethlisberger that speaks to Pittsburgh’s football infatuation:
- Fans camping outside hospital when he wrecked motorcycle.
- News helicopter over his wedding.
- Breaking news of the birth of his 1st child.
Man, Pittsburgh loves football.
This accident is not one that scars his legacy in any major way. Yet it is something that stands out as a negative headline from early in his NFL career.
#2 - 2009 sexual assault allegations
A civil suit was filed against Roethlisberger in 2009 claiming he sexually assaulted a woman at a Lake Tahoe hotel. The allegation stated that he called the woman, who was an employee, up to his room to say his television was not working. He then allegedly assaulted her.
It was a civil suit, so a settlement was eventually reached without any side sharing the details. Roethlisberger claimed innocence the entire time, but the existence of the settlement does raise questions.
#1 - 2010 sexual assault allegations
The 2010 allegations were far more serious and involved a police investigation. Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a young woman in a bathroom at a bar in Georgia.
If the NFL’s current sexual assault policy had existed when Roethlisberger was drafted in 2004, he would have been banned for life by 2010.
He was credibly accused of sexually assaulting two women in an 11-month period - THAT’S the stat he should be most remembered for. twitter.com/SportsCenter/s…
He was never charged, but the allegations were serious enough to see Roethlisberger get hit with a four-game suspension by the NFL. That alone speaks to the severity of the situation.
The accuser in the situation also wanted the charges dropped to avoid a long trial where here name could be dragged through the mud. Roethlisberger got out without any legal issues and just had to serve a four-game suspension.