Steelers fans look to have forgiven Big Ben

PITTSBURGH

How quickly NFL fans forgive and forget when it comes to wins and losses.

It took all of eight offensive snaps — eight!!! — in Pittsburgh’s preseason debut before a “We Want Ben!” chant flared at Heinz Field.

Yes, that Ben. The most hated man in Pittsburgh five months ago. The disgraced quarterback reviled and ridiculed for his alleged sexual assault of a drunken underage college student in a nightclub bathroom stall. The one whose deviant off-field behavior drew a suspension from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and triggered debate about his long-term future with the Steelers.

None of that matters now, just like when dog-killing Michael Vick received a warm welcome fresh out of prison last year in Philadelphia. After all, the outcome of games — even meaningless exhibition ones — is at stake. If a player can help the cause, no matter how much personal baggage he carries, the moral compass is usually tucked away.

Once replacement Byron Leftwich was pounded during a third straight pass attempt, a sizable contingent began clamoring for Roethlisberger to enter Saturday night’s 23-7 win against Detroit. No dice. Because he is banned for what will likely be the regular season’s first four games, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin gave Leftwich all the snaps with the first-team offense. Roethlisberger never played and left his helmet in the locker room.

But other than the unusual scene of a healthy Roethlisberger standing on the sideline with his Steelers cap on backward, nothing has really changed except maybe Big Ben himself.

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Roethlisberger will assuredly be back in the starting lineup once his suspension ends. Like when he was leading the Steelers to two Super Bowl titles, Roethlisberger received only cheers while taking the field for pregame warm-ups. There were still plenty of No. 7 jerseys in the stands worn by adults and children even if the volume wasn’t at last year’s level. And the kicker: Because of his team standing in 2009, Roethlisberger was actually one of Pittsburgh’s five pregame captains despite the embarrassment he caused a franchise that champions family values.

So much for leading by example, huh? This same type of fawning and coddling is what helped create the ego-filled “Big Ben” persona Roethlisberger now says he is determined to shed.

To his credit, Roethlisberger has made strides in that regard. Goodell offered praise for Roethlisberger’s lifestyle changes after a recent meeting at Steelers training camp. Roethlisberger is more accommodating to reporters and fans (the Steelers highlighted the latter by showing footage of him signing autographs during their in-stadium pregame video packages). He is continuing charity work with family organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House that Roethlisberger was quietly doing before the assault allegation in Milledgeville, Ga. Like others who have made major mistakes, Roethlisberger deserves the chance for redemption and will hopefully take advantage of it.

Signs of immaturity do resurface from time to time. Roethlisberger dashed out of the locker room Saturday night to avoid the media, stiffing the public from getting his take on not playing against Detroit in the process. Roethlisberger also recently changed his billed hometown of Findlay, Ohio, to Cory-Rawson — the name of his former elementary school. Roethlisberger told the Findlay Courier he was upset by the “blatant lies” spun about him locally during the offseason. Even so, the reaction was not wise for a 28-year-old trying to reinvent himself as a good guy.

The thickness of Roethlisberger’s skin will be tested again as he faces taunts on the road and lingering resentment from some Pittsburghers who don’t believe his repentance and continuing claims of innocence are sincere. How he responds will be part of his NFL legacy.

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But regardless of how Steelers supporters feel about him personally, Roethlisberger will be missed by everyone soon enough if Saturday’s game was a harbinger of what’s to come. Leftwich might be in traction before Goodell clears Roethlisberger’s return. Leftwich was sacked once and knocked down repeatedly in roughly 1 1/2 quarters of action. It’s not like the Lions were blitzing, either. The porous blocking by Pittsburgh’s starting offensive line was inexcusable.

Roethlisberger has enough pocket mobility and size to repel hits that he can thrive under those difficult circumstances. They’re two of the physical traits that helped Roethlisberger enjoy a charmed NFL career until this offseason.

“He’s an awesome player,” said 23-year-old Steelers fan Tara Bennett, who wore a homemade “I love you Big Ben #7” T-shirt to Saturday night’s game. “If he wins the Super Bowl this year, everybody is going to forget about what happened.”

Barring another epic Roethlisberger screw-up, most Steelers faithful — for better or worse — already have.