The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 24-21, on Sunday. But as the dust finally began to settle, it wasn’t just the final result that fans were talking about; it was a strong message from the Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger for the left tackle. The two-time Super Bowl winner did not hold back, calling out the offensive line.

On Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, he acknowledged the line of offense had improved, but made sure that there is still much room for improvement. He singled out Broderick Jones as a player who must clean up his technique if the Steelers are to elevate the offense to the next level.

“Well, I think the line played better,” Roethlisberger said. “There’s still 77. He’s still just got to get better, ’cause on the fourth and one that we didn’t make, he got beat. He put his head down and went inside, and the guy went right around him and made the tackle in the backfield. But all in all, they played better.”

For a quarterback who spent 18 years riding shotgun behind Pittsburgh’s front five, Roethlisberger’s words should be bathed in thought. He praised the O-line for its improvement, but also pointed out Jones’ collapse in crucial moments that could be the difference between sustaining drives or running out. He was ranked 97th out of 140 qualified tackles by PFF last year, but the franchise decided to still trust in him. However, his recent performances say otherwise.

Even as he pointed out Jones’ miscues, he was careful to acknowledge the young tackle’s hustle and resilience. In particular, he highlighted a pivotal play where Jones showed determination beyond the whistle.

“I’ll give him credit for hustling after a play, recovering the fumble that happened with Aaron,” Roethlisberger explained, referencing quarterback Aaron Rodgers. “Great hustle down the field by that young man.”

The hustle came on one of the game’s lesser-noticed sequences. On a fumble, Rodgers lost the ball, but Jones not only recovered it but gained yardage, maintaining a pivotal drive. It was a reminder that while his pass protection remains something to be desired, Jones possesses the hustle and awareness coaches are searching for.

As Roethlisberger dismantled the offensive line, the Steelers’ defense sealed the win. The Vikings struggled with injuries on their offensive line, but Pittsburgh made sure to capitalize on the imbalance.

Carson Wentz was sacked six times, giving up a total of 48 yards, and the Steelers’ defensive line put up an astonishing 52 pressures in the last two games. Two of Wentz’s interceptions came on tipped passes, one of them ending up with T.J. Watt in a vintage display of authority.

However, as per PFF offensive line rankings into Week 4, the Steelers slipped to no.22, which justifies Ben’s concerns.

Roethlisberger’s post-game analysis made it clear he thinks the biggest question mark moving forward is the offensive trenches. However, this time, while talking about Jones, Big Ben has toned himself down, because last week he was blasting over the left tackle.

Ben Roethlisberger shreds Broderick Jones’ technique

Last Week, in his Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast, the future Hall of Famer did not mince words: “No sacks, congratulations. Aaron still got hit a bunch,” Roethlisberger posted, deflating any idea that Week 3 was Jones’ turnabout.

He continued, “There was a play where Broderick Jones is standing completely upright, and the guy basically runs right through him. It’s actually the play we laughed about when his guy hit Aaron as soon as he threw it. And Broderick ran by, yanked his shoulder out of place. That play, if you go back and watch it, because I went back and watched two plays specifically to watch the line play, Broderick is so upright, and you can’t stand upright as a tackle.’’

Roethlisberger mentioned the leverage power, recalling teachings from James Harrison’s Hall of Fame-caliber pass rushing. Big Ben didn’t stop at pass blocking. He criticized Jones’ struggles in the run game as well, pointing to a specific moment when the young lineman simply failed to engage.

“He didn’t block a soul on one play,” Roethlisberger said. “That’s unacceptable when you’re talking about fourth down and short. Those are the plays that decide games.”

Ben is not suddenly noticing Jones’ error; instead, he’s been calling him out for weeks. After Week 1 performance, he stated, ”With all due respect, Broderick  Jones looks like a turnstile.” He continued, ”I don’t know how many of the sacks were on him, but it felt like there was a lot of pressure coming from that left side.” He has given up 10 sacks, tying for the second-highest in the league in 2024.

For Roethlisberger, frustration does not stem from mistakes but from trends that suggest Jones is still far from where he must be to protect a veteran quarterback like Rodgers. Even this Week, his point of view is still somewhat similar, but his tone has slightly altered.

Roethlisberger has had some of the best o-line players in the NFL to block for him, from stalwarts like Alan Faneca and Maurkice Pouncey to grind-and-die veterans who earned their pay on fundamentals. Therefore, he expects the same from others and maintains that standard across the franchise.