By admin 
One of the NFL’s most consistent debates centers on where former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger ranks among the greatest quarterbacks in league history. With Roethlisberger entering his first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this season, that debate has only intensified. One of the more common comparisons is between Roethlisberger and former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Brees is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will be inducted next month. One longtime Steelers analyst believes Roethlisberger was the better quarterback.
Read more Steve Young Stresses the Importance of the 49ers Staying Healthy This Season
Dave Dameshek laid out his argument on the Football America Show.
“Fourth quarter comebacks … his fourth-quarter comeback rate is higher: 16.5% of the games he rallied in. Brees? Only 12.5%,” Dameshek said. “That’s significant over the course of a career. He was a better ball thrower. 11.7 yards per completion versus 11.2 … he was better in the postseason.”
Dameshek has statistics to support his argument. Many will point to Brees’ career numbers and immediately place him ahead of Roethlisberger. However, this debate goes beyond the stat sheet.
Brees had the benefit of strong offensive coaching
Brees spent nearly his entire Saints career playing under Sean Payton, who served as the team’s de facto offensive coordinator. While Payton had his flaws, he consistently got the most out of his quarterbacks. Together, Payton and Brees formed one of the greatest quarterback-head coach duos in NFL history.
Roethlisberger never had that luxury. The best offensive play-caller he worked with was Todd Haley, who certainly helped elevate his game. However, Haley and Roethlisberger often clashed. If Roethlisberger had spent his career playing for Payton, there’s a strong argument that he could have reached the same statistical heights as Brees.
Roethlisberger did benefit from having Mike Tomlin as his head coach. However, Tomlin’s influence leaned much more toward the defensive side of the ball. Roethlisberger’s production often suffered because of underwhelming offensive schemes, particularly early in his career. His unique playing style is what separates him from many quarterbacks in NFL history. He wasn’t simply a pocket passer. He built his reputation by extending plays, escaping pressure, and creating opportunities outside the pocket. Brees, by comparison, operated within a far more structured offensive system.
Read more Scottie Scheffler heads field, makes debut at Minnesota’s 3M Open
Ultimately, reasonable people can land on either side of the Roethlisberger-Brees debate. However, one factor deserves more consideration when comparing their overall talent.
Roethlisberger was more physically gifted than Brees
This point is much harder to dispute. You can argue that Brees was the more accurate passer, but Roethlisberger was the superior physical talent. Don’t let the final years of his career in 2020 and 2021 cloud that reality. At his peak, his rare combination of size, strength, and underrated athleticism constantly challenged defenses. He possessed elite arm strength, could make video game-type plays, and routinely willed his team to victory. Roethlisberger also absorbed relentless punishment behind shaky offensive lines and still found ways to win. He rarely had a consistently reliable offensive line during his first decade in the league, and the Steelers’ 2008 Super Bowl run remains the best example.
That offensive line struggled throughout the season, especially after losing its starting tackle and guard to season-ending injuries. The Steelers couldn’t run the ball consistently and often failed to protect the quarterback. Roethlisberger’s ability to extend plays kept the offense afloat, and many of those broken plays turned into explosive gains. The Steelers’ lone offensive touchdown in the AFC Championship Game came after Roethlisberger escaped pressure and found Santonio Holmes, who took the play the rest of the way for the score.
Brees’ statistics may suggest he was clearly the better quarterback, but the gap between the two isn’t nearly as wide as the numbers indicate. At his peak, Roethlisberger could go toe-to-toe with any quarterback in the NFL.
Read more Shaikin: Cultural exchange: In Irvine, a new minor league team with Asian fanfare (and fan fare)
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published July 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM.