Big Bens Combine

I think this was the pick everyone was screaming for after a year with WrongWay Tommy Maddsux. Those were some dark days for me as a Steeler Fan.

I can even remember buying some Miami of Ohio stuff because of the Ben pick.

 

I was wanting either Ben or Rivers in that draft because we all knew that Eli would be the first pick. I was nervous when the Browns pick came along that they would take Ben because he played HS and college ball in Ohio. But the Browns being the Browns stupidly picked Kellen Winslow Jr.

 

Philip Rivers. Rivers played at NC State and ACC, so I was familiar with him. Didn't know squat about Roethlisberger of Miami of Ohio. Didn't think the Steelers had any chance of drafting Eli Manning.

When Ben was drafted, I assumed he wouldn't play until 2006 at the earliest.

 

I had known about him because he played against Iowa his junior and senior year. I was pretty excited when the Steelers got him.

 

I was higher on Phillip Rivers at the time, but I liked Ben a lot too.
I did not like Eli at all, despite being a huge Peyton fan.
So I had Rivers as the first QB and Ben at 2.

All 3 were big QB's at 6'5" but Ben was probably the most solid.

That's about all I remember.

 

I remember in his rookie preseason thinking Ben looked terrible.

It was night and day once he started playing in regular season.

 

I wanted Robert Gallery OL from Iowa. I didn't even want a Qb. Glad I wasn't picking. LoL...., but at least I admit it.

 

I thought Rivers was 1 and Ben was 2. I honestly thought Eli was the 3rd best of these 3. I remember thinking if we dont get Rivers, I hope we get Roethlisberger. It all worked out for us and as it turns out, Rivers was the only one who didnt get a ring.

 

you and Cowher. BC did not want a QB, he lucked into Ben....

 

no, BC wanted Andrews, I think that was the name

 

Bill Cowher was

 

I did not want to draft a QB in 04. I wanted no parts of Big Ben. I thought Phillip Rivers had a weird throwing motion, and I didn't want him either. The only QB I would have drafted would have been Eli Manning.

I remember being high on Robert Gallery. I'm not sure if that's who I would have picked. I cant remember. But I do remember not wanting a QB.

 

Shawn Andrews

 

correct- BC did not want to draft a QB in Rd 1

 

My girls were little and I just got back from my first deployment. And TheSteelersFans didn’t exist. So, I didn’t even know they had a rookie QB until his 3rd game. The dolphin’s’ game wasn’t on TV

 

Yeah Bill ,and I couldn't see Eye to Eye on the pick. LoL

 

I'm Glad I was wrong... , and whomever decided to draft Ben did so.

 

Dude, as a huge Iowa fan, I thought that cat was gonna be legit. Major disappointment at left tackle.

 

I believe He ended up playing some RT, and Guard. I'm just glad I wasn't picking that time. LoL

 

I’ll betcha that’s what Mitch did to Tomlin.

I remember being slightly higher on Rivers but was thrilled when Ben ended up being the pick. I do often wonder what Rivers’ career and the Steelers’ fortunes would have looked like had Rivers been the pick. He was a much more solid citizen than Ben, especially in the early years. I think his maturity and leadership would have served the Steelers well. But then again I think of how tough Ben was and he had to be to go against some of those Raven defenses. I’m not sure Rivers would have held up as well against them. Ben was built fir AFCN football.

 

I was a kid then, I knew nothing about him. I remember tommy getting on my last nerve though. Glad we drafted a qb. Maddox lol, I remember he had a brief bandwagon here.
He was soft, I remember him almost crying because Steelers fans were toilet papering the hell out of his house.