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Ben Roethlisberger just finished up what appears to be his final regular season gamewith the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had an emotional home send-off in Week 17 and the way he reacted seemed to confirm he is not returning in 2022.
Roethlisberger still has the chance to sign with a new team in 2022. If he doesn't, his career numbers will come into focus for Hall of Fame consideration. He is part of the historic 2004 NFL quarterback class that also includes Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.
All three quarterbacks should be able to land in the Hall of Fame for their respective achievements. But when it comes to Roethlisberger, the last active quarterback of the three, does he deserve to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer?
Can Ben Roethlisberger make the Hall of Fame on his first try?
Let's look at the quarterback's current resume. He has won two Super Bowl titles and has made six Pro Bowls.
Roethlisberger also sits fifth all-time in NFL history in passing yards (64,088). He is eighth all-time in passing touchdowns (418) and among a group of eight to throw more than 400 in a career.
His last Super Bowl win came back during the 2008 season in a thrilling 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Two Super Bowl wins is a legendary mark, and Roethlisberger has continued to win in general since then.
The Steelers have not had a losing season since 2003, the year before the quarterback arrived.
This type of sustained success is rare, and the fact Roethlisberger did it in one place, to this point, makes it all the more legendary. So there should be no debate about him being worthy of making it to Canton in general.
As for being a first-ballot Hall of Famer, the stats on the field point toward him being worthy of that honor. But he does have past off-the-field issues and sexual assault allegations that cloud his legacy.
This type of conversation is more relevant now that Hub Arkush, an NFL award voter, said he would not vote Aaron Rodgers for MVP because he doesn't like him. It's very possible voters share some sort of negative sentiment toward Roethlisberger because of his past.
In football terms alone, Roethlisberger seems like an obvious choice to go in on his first try. Being in the top 10 in any all-time passing category should warrant easy enshrinement.
Being ranked so high in yards and touchdowns made him a legend of the game before even mentioning the Super Bowls.
Rivers has a questionable case because he never won a Super Bowl. Roethlisberger winning two only enhances the story told by the stats.
He reached the mountaintop of the NFL in only his second season and did it again a few years later.
Also Checkout: Eli Manning super bowl wins
