Mike Tomlin will not guarantee Ben Roethlisberger the starting job

[pete74]

When Ben Roethlisberger(notes) returns from his four-game suspension, he is not guaranteed the starting quarterback job, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says.


"I'm going to dodge that one and not artfully," Tomlin said Tuesday on Sirius NFL Radio. "I'm not going to back myself in corner (regarding whether Roethlisberger will start)."


The NFL originally suspended Roethlisberger for the first six games of the season after the quarterback was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a Georgia nightclub last May. The suspension was cut to four games for good behavior.


Pittsburgh planned to start Byron Leftwich(notes) the first few weeks of the season while Roethlisberger served his suspension, but Leftwich sprained a knee in the Thursday's preseason finale.


Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Dixon earned the job over Charlie Batch(notes) with his strong play in the preseason. Dixon will likely start the first four games. On Friday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reduced Roethlisberger's suspension to six game from the original six

[SteelKnight]

I'm sure all he means is that if Ben isn't ready and is out of football shape for the first game (and Dixon is playing well), he may give him a game to get ready (3 weeks with the bye). That's it. Everyone knows Ben is our QB for the season.

[scsteeler]

Originally Posted by SteelKnight

I'm sure all he means is that if Ben isn't ready and is out of football shape for the first game (and Dixon is playing well), he may give him a game to get ready (3 weeks with the bye). That's it. Everyone knows Ben is our QB for the season.

Exactly the case.

[SteelKnight]

Originally Posted by scsteeler

Exactly the case.

Yeah. He has the luxury of having options since it is the Browns at home. If Ben isn't ready, he could always start Dixon with a short leash. If anything looks bad, in goes Ben.

If we were playing the Saints or Patriots in that first game, he'd likely have a different answer. lol

[StainlessStill]

Lets not make this a bigger deal than some people might think it is. This is nothing. Tomlin did everything and anything to just side-step the question out of its ridiculous nature. Ben is our QB and would of been our QB if Dixon went 6-0 if Ben got 6. That's all there is to it. Dead discussion.

[Need4spd]

Where's 'Downbylaw' when you need him to make a bigger deal out of something than it is??!! Of course this question was going to be asked sooner or later. As I and others have stated, it's kind of absurd to suggest that Ben would lose his job to Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwich. Sorry, but that's just the plain and simple fact of the matter.

[Downbylaw]

Here I am Here I am!!! You guys act like Ben cant be benched due to good play by Dixon. So if we go 4-0 and Dixon has 16 Td and 2 ints and we are blowing out the opponents (like we should. Ben nail biters are an underachievement). Then your saying we go with Ben? I say go with the Hot hand. By that logic Willie Parker should have never been benched for Mendenhall based on his past. I forgot, all logic and sence gets thrown out of the window in regards to Prince Ben. lol

[joeyssteelcurtain]

Originally Posted by Downbylaw

Here I am Here I am!!! You guys act like Ben cant be benched due to good play by Dixon. So if we go 4-0 and Dixon has 16 Td and 2 ints and we are blowing out the opponents (like we should. Ben nail biters are an underachievement). Then your saying we go with Ben? I say go with the Hot hand. By that logic Willie Parker should have never been benched for Mendenhall based on his past. I forgot, all logic and sence gets thrown out of the window in regards to Prince Ben. lol

You are out of your mind and do what with are 100 million dollar Qb ???? Bench him???
Come on man. Ben is are QB and he is not going anywhere.
__________________

[Downbylaw]

Originally Posted by joeyssteelcurtain

You are out of your mind and do what with are 100 million dollar Qb ???? Bench him???
Come on man. Ben is are QB and he is not going anywhere.
__________________

If we are playing good what does salary have to do with anything? Are you saying guys with big contracts cant be outplayed or benched?

[joeyssteelcurtain]

Originally Posted by Downbylaw

If we are playing good what does salary have to do with anything? Are you saying guys with big contracts cant be outplayed or benched?

On Dixon's best day he wont outplay Ben. Do you see Dixon going 90 yards at the end of a game to win it ? Cause I dont.