Ben Roethlisberger’s Hall of Fame future suddenly doesn’t feel just about the feats he achieved in his 18-season NFL career. After Joey Porter Sr. publicly challenged his character and leadership, Roethlisberger’s first-ballot induction in 2027 has also become a matter of reputation. An insider believes that if the situation becomes a close call, leadership concerns could become the deciding factor among voters.

“If it’s a close question of whether or not he [Roethlisberger] gets in, the voters, I think, are incumbent,” Mike Florio said on Ben on 93.7 The Fan via Steelers Depot’s post on X. “Or it’s incumbent upon them to take into consideration questions like, what kind of a leader was he? What kind of teammate was he? If it’s close, will they seek guys out? And will they take into consideration his reputation as a teammate…as a leader? And will that be relevant to whether or not he gets in? That’s my point.”

Last year in December, the Pittsburgh Steelers honored Ben Roethlisberger with HOF recognition on the back of his iconic career. He made an impact right from his rookie year and had a terrific run that culminated with two Super Bowl rings, six Pro Bowl selections, and many other milestones. With the former QB set to become eligible for the Pro Football HOF in the 2027 class, expectations of his selection ran high. But the sentiment slightly changed after ex-Steelers linebacker Porter Sr. drew attention to the behind-the-scenes tensions.

He accused Ben of being a bad teammate and “breaking the brotherhood” by doing certain things. If we go by the rules, HOF voters should ideally focus only on players’ on-field persona and feats. But as Florio mentioned, voters are humans who closely observe everything.

Legendary Bill Belichick’s six Super Bowl wins as head coach ultimately fell short against his cheating scandals. While many defended and expressed frustration over his not joining the Canton, the outcome remains the same. Similarly, Ben’s reputation and other off-field controversies may damage his chances. He has acknowledged his early-career immaturity on his podcast.

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But then, there have also been two assault allegations from his playing days. The cases never led to any charges, but one of them led to a four-game suspension in 2010. So, in case of a close call, a handful of outliers may change his fate next year. Now, here’s a deep dive into what Porter Sr. actually said about Ben Roethlisberger.

Porter unloads on Ben Roethlisberger, discusses his early-career tensions

Joey Porter Sr. and Ben Roethlisberger were teammates at Pittsburgh from 2004 to 2006, with Porter serving as the captain. But despite Roethlisberger’s success, it was hard for the ex-linebacker to overlook how he conducted himself in the locker room. During a podcast appearance recorded during Super Bowl week, he didn’t sugarcoat his experience with the former signal caller.

Porter accused Roethlisberger of breaking the brotherhood by discussing the team’s business, an issue he also associated with James Harrison. He likely referred to Ben’s criticism of the team’s performance and former head coach Mike Tomlin’s leadership. Following Pittsburgh’s Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the former quarterback even urged for a “clean house.” In Porter’s view, it’s ironic because Roethlisberger’s time with the team wasn’t all clean.

“Won the Super Bowl with him, but the person, he’s [Roethlisberger] just not a good teammate,” he said. “He knows that. Anybody in the Steelers building knows that, but we protected him because I’ve only won one Super Bowl, and that was my quarterback. So do I love my quarterback? Yeah. But is he a good person? No.”

Moreover, the linebacker revealed that some frustrations began during Ben’s rookie year. It was when he refused to sign memorabilia for the families of teammates, including Aaron Smith and Chris Hoke. Porter found it downright disrespectful because it was a locker-room tradition. He also took issue with how Roethlisberger became a captain.

He believes the QB got the role because of his importance rather than earning it through a team vote. Porter’s argument was simple: Ben Roethlisberger was never a team player and lacked leadership qualities. While the player responded with grace, those remarks fueled the debate surrounding his legacy.