13 quarterbacks in NFL history have won two or more Super Bowls. The list includes legendary players such as Tom Brady, Peyton
Manning, Joe Montana, and Patrick Mahomes.The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of only two NFL teams that have drafted and deployed two multi-time champion quarterbacks.
Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks are Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, both with proven track records. The former helped change the Steelers from a bottom-feeder to one of the league’s greatest clubs.
Roethlisberger arrived decades later and helped the team reclaim its old grandeur, breaking a 26-year title drought in the process.
With their illustrious careers behind us, it’s time to address a discussion that has raged since Roethlisberger emerged as a suitable (if delayed) successor to Bradshaw: which of these star quarterbacks is the best in Steelers history?
Ranking the 5 Best Pittsburgh Steelers Players of All Time
The Case for Ben Roethlisberger
Big Ben took Pittsburgh to the AFC Championship game as a rookie and has never stopped producing. It is not difficult to construct an argument for Roethlisberger.
After all, he outperforms Bradshaw in almost every significant statistical area. Roethlisberger has 418 career touchdown passes, nearly double Bradshaw’s 212. Meanwhile, Roethlisberger has 211 interceptions, only one fewer than Bradshaw’s 210.
Roethlisberger more than quadrupled Bradshaw’s throwing yardage and completed passes at a much higher efficiency rate.
Roethlisberger’s statistical advantage is somewhat mitigated by the fact that Bradshaw played on run-heavy teams during a run-heavy era. Seasons with 4,000 or more throwing yards were rare.
Nonetheless, Bradshaw’s peers, such Roger Staubach, Fran Tarkenton, and Dan Fouts, were putting up impressive numbers.
Granted, Bradshaw had some successful years. He surpassed 3,000 yards and led the league in touchdown passes twice each.
However, he spent his early seasons in and out of the lineup, only reaching 2,000 yards twice in his first seven seasons.
GIVEMESPORT Key Stat: Ben Roethlisberger is the only NFL quarterback to lead a team to six consecutive 12-win seasons.
Regardless of the era, the quarterback known as “Big Ben” put up stats that would be impressive in any age.
According to Pro Football Reference, he is seventh in career passing touchdowns, ninth in passing touchdowns, and fifth in quarterback wins. Bradshaw also won at a steady rate, finishing 16th all-time in quarterback wins. He does, however, rank outside the top 40 in terms of yards and touchdowns.
Of course, Bradshaw supporters will point to his championship experience as the ultimate trump card, and it’s an effective reply.
Bradshaw has four Super Bowl triumphs as a starter, tying him with Joe Montana for second all-time. Some people will always prefer Bradshaw above Roethlisberger because of his success on the biggest stage.
However, Roethlisberger’s mantle is far from depleted. He has three Super Bowl appearances and two victories on his resume.
While Bradshaw faced difficult competition, it’s worth noting that Roethlisberger spent the most of his professional career competing for championships with some of the AFC’s all-time greats, including Manning and Brady.
No, Roethlisberger did not acquire as much hardware as Bradshaw, but he outperformed him statistically.
Add that to the countless major wins (including two of the biggest) Roethlisberger has amassed over his career, and it’s safe to say he outperformed his predecessor.
The Case For Terry Bradshaw
Bradshaw is undoubtedly the most iconic name in the history of the organisation. If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably had at least one disagreement about who the best athlete of all time is in a specific sport.
Brady and Michael Jordan are two of the most popular “G.O.A.T.” contenders in their fields. Both players combined statistical prowess with championship collection, but most people look at their ring count first when determining who the finest player of all time is. Championships matter in conversations like these.
No, Bradshaw has never led the league in passing yards.
Throughout his first four or five seasons as a player, he struggled significantly. With hindsight, his completion percentage and yardage totals appear to be a touch low.
Nonetheless, Bradshaw played a critical role in Pittsburgh’s remarkable four Super Bowl victories. And no Steelers fan worth their salt would swap even one Lombardi trophy to improve Bradshaw’s quarterback rating.
Bradshaw’s enemies may argue that he was carried, and there is some merit to this claim. He was surrounded by Hall of Fame players on both sides of the ball.
The famous signal-caller from Louisiana Tech would probably agree that having weapons like Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, and Franco Harris to distribute didn’t hurt his production at all.
However, it is worth noting that Bradshaw is a highly decorated Hall of Famer in his own right, and his efforts helped launch the careers of each of his top players.
Especially on the game’s biggest stage. While Bradshaw’s regular-season averages pale in comparison to Roethlisberger’s, his Super Bowl figures tell a completely different picture.
Outside of Brady, Montana, and Mahomes, few quarterbacks have performed as well on the biggest stage as Bradshaw. In four outings, the former “Blonde Bomber” passed for 932 yards (233 per game) and nine touchdowns.
In three big game appearances, Roethlisberger only threw for 642 yards, three touchdowns, and five interceptions, according to Statmuse.
Roethlisberger still has some hardware to hang his head on, including an all-time great game-winning drive in Super Bowl 43.
However, he was an absolute liability in Super Bowl 40, and his turnovers in Super Bowl 45 were too much for Pittsburgh to overcome. Bradshaw, for his part, was constantly at his finest on the championship stage, recording countless legendary, hero-making moments.
He won Super Bowl MVP honors twice in his career, a feat that Roethlisberger will never match. That isn’t the only feat of Bradshaw that his successor couldn’t match.
Bradshaw remains the only Steeler to have won NFL MVP honors. He’s also the only Steelers quarterback to have received an All-Pro nod.
When comparing his regular season stats to those of Roethlisberger, it’s clear that he was generally and deservedly considered as one of the best signal-callers of his period.
To be honest, both Steeler icons are commonly recognized as top-20 all-time quarterbacks, if not fringe top-10. Comparing the two feels like splitting hairs.
But for this author, Bradshaw’s mix of accolades, legacy, postseason heroism, and, most importantly, the extra two Super Bowl rings gives him an advantage over Roethlisberger.