On ESPN’s “Get Up!” Thursday, NFL insider Adam Schefter said that the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t be making a quarterback change, so long as Ben Roethlisberger is at the helm in Pittsburgh.
“They are never gonna bench Ben Roethlisberger,” Schefter said. “It’s never gonna get to that. So he has to figure out a way to play better, make better decisions and elevate this team.”
"[The Steelers] are never going to bench Ben Roethlisberger. It's never going to get to that."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 7, 2021
—@AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/UqNVBe1TLm
When Schefter said that, it sped around the internet as if Schefter was breaking some sort of news story.
But he wasn’t. That clip from Schefter has largely been misrepresented as “a report.” That wasn’t really a report so much as it was an opinion. Or just an informed point of view.
Schefter didn’t quote anyone. He didn’t even cite any anonymous sources. He just advanced his view of the situation. Maybe he’s got some inside intelligence from the front office or ownership. But if so, he didn’t present it as such. He merely offered a personal belief.
I’m not mad at Schefter. I’m not being critical in the least. He can offer whatever interpretation he wants.
I’m just put off by the presentation of what he said by the rest of … well … the free world on Twitter.
Fellow ESPN NFL reporter and former ESPN Steelers beat reporter Jeremy Fowler later echoed Schefter’s statements.
Yep. I got a 'heck no' when I asked about this recently. https://t.co/5OUPL0mQ5d
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 7, 2021
If you squint, Fowler’s tweet is a little bit more of a “report” than Schefter’s. At least Fowler “asked” … someone. Presumably, someone associated with the Steelers organization.
Presumably.
Either way, you now have two reporters at one of the NFL’s flagship partners telling you that they don’t think there are any plans for the Steelers to bench Roethlisberger.
Add me to that mix. I don’t think the Steelers are going to bench Roethlisberger either. Unless he gets injured.
Oops. Sorry. I forgot to add the quotes. I’ll try again.
Unless Roethlisberger gets “injured.”
Don’t get me wrong, playing behind that offensive line, Roethlisberger is putting his life on the line any time he takes a snap. He could legitimately get injured. Badly. And I worry about that. For him.
Seriously.
That said, he could also get …“injured.” If you get my drift. And then, that’s when Mason Rudolph and/or Dwayne Haskins, could get a look.
Behind that offensive line, I’d suggest looking away.
For their sakes. And yours.
