Following an offensive line performance that surrendered six sacks and 34 pressures over the opening two weeks, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is publicly questioning why the coaching staff continues to leave top draft capital on the sideline.
On his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast, the two-time Super Bowl winner voiced frustration over the decision to keep first-round rookie offensive lineman Max Iheanachor on the bench while the starting unit continues to struggle.
"Why is he not playing? Is there something going on in practice or the meeting rooms?" Roethlisberger asked. "If you draft a guy in the first round, there's a reason you drafted him in the first round. You don't draft an offensive lineman in the first round saying,
'You know what? He's gonna be great next year. He's gonna be great in two years.' Not linemen. You don't do that."
Roethlisberger, who built a Hall of Fame career behind physical offensive fronts, dismissed the notion of slowly developing premier line prospects when the active group is surrendering constant pressure. While acknowledging that his critique comes from a place of support for the position group, Roethlisberger insisted that inserting high-upside rookie talent is necessary to elevate the unit's overall ceiling.
"He can't be worse than what's in there right now," Roethlisberger said. "At some point, get him in there because you might as well take your lumps figuring out what position you want him to be at and just say, 'Listen, just be physical,' because we know he's a big, physical dude."
With the Steelers seeking consistent protection and run-game push, Roethlisberger argued that continuing to bench an early-round talent only delays necessary growth, urging the coaching staff to let their top rookie learn through live action.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Roethlisberger questions why Steelers first-round pick isn't playing
