"You were coddled, so don't give me that" - Colin Cowherd slams Ben Roethlisberger's claim that athletes today are pampered too much

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has shared his opinion's about today's athletes. It's fair to say that it has elicited a mixed response from the NFL community. Roethlisberger said a variety of controversial things to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, one of which was that many NFL players put themselves before the team. He also believes that many players are coddled these days.

Here's what he said:

“They’re treated so special. They’re coddled at a young age because college coaches need them to win, too. I know coach [Terry] Hoeppner never coddled me [at Miami of Ohio]. Neither did [Bill] Cowher.”

One person not overly impressed with Ben Roethlisberger's assessment is NFL analyst Colin Cowherd. The host of The Herd on Colin Cowherd took Roethlisberger to task over his assertion that today's athletes are coddled.

Cowherd said:

"Big Ben was talking about how athletes are coddled and that really bothered me. Timeout, Big Ben. You won a couple of titles early and the last 10 years of your career, you took summers off when Brady and Manning and Brees and Russell Wilson were obsessed with football... "

The popular commentator wasn't finished, and continued:

"The media in Pittsburgh didn't hold him accountable. The Steelers didn't hold him accountable. The fans didn't hold him accountable. You [were] coddled, so don't give me that. I don't believe athletes are coddled. I believe they're wealthy and people confuse wealth for coddled. I've never seen athletes care more."

Ben Roethlisberger's controversial career moments

Seattle Seahawks v Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger doesn't seem happy to see today's players being protected and coddled. However, many believe that Roethlisberger has a selective memory. During his career, there were several moments of controversy for which he was not held fully responsible.

In 2006, the former Steelers quarterback was involved in a motorcycle accident that almost claimed his life. This left him requiring seven hours of emergency surgery. The quarterback was riding the bike without wearing a helmet and did not have a motorcycle license at the time. Despite his close call, he declined the opportunity to become an advocate for helmet safety.

In 2009 and 2010 respectively, he faced two separate accusations of sexual assault. Ben Roethlisberger settled out of court with the first accuser, while police dropped the charges relating to the second case due to insufficient evidence after what many perceived to be a deeply flawed investigation.

Throughout his career, Ben Roethlisberger has routinely called out his own teammates and coaches, and it appears his approach will not change, even in retirement. Many Steelers fans are happy to remember the best times of his fantastic NFL career. They're also hoping that Roethlisberger won't become a distraction as the franchise prepares for the season.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit the Herd with Colin Cowherd, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and H/T Sportskeeda.