Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and assistant head coach Joey Porter Sr. recently took direct aim at former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He questioned Roethlisberger’s criticism of former head coach Mike Tomlin and the team publicly. Soon after, the situation pulled in several current and former Steelers voices. Now, former center Maurkice Pouncey has jumped into the debate as well.

“It’s unbelievable the hate I’ve been seeing from people inside the family!! Especially when we all a call away!! If you against Big Ben F-CK YOU, YOU AGAINST ME! CLOUT IS A DISEASE!” Pouncey said, defending his longtime quarterback.

He also shared a photo of himself and Roethlisberger from their Pro Bowl times on Instagram, along with the caption.

That reaction carries weight. After all, Pouncey entered the league as the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and spent a decade protecting Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. During his time with the Steelers, he earned five All-Pro honors and nine Pro Bowl nods before retiring in 2020. Therefore, his loyalty to Big Ben comes from years in the trenches together.

Meanwhile, Pouncey is not alone. Former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and offensive tackle Zach Banner also stepped forward to back their former quarterback.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

“Big Ben is a great teammate, one of the best ones to have! You’ve got to earn his respect before he opens up; coming in talking won’t get his attention! Take it from a six-round draft pick,” Brown wrote on X.

Notably, Brown and Roethlisberger shared nine seasons in Pittsburgh from 2010 to 2018. Together, they formed one of the most dangerous duos in the league and gave Steelers Nation countless moments at Acrisure Stadium. After Brown spoke up, Banner added his own strong defense.

“Ben, aka 7, is one of the best big bros in football I’ve ever had. Regardless of being a future HOF talent…” he said. “You want to air out dirty laundry you’ve been holding onto, then fine… Be your own man…”

“But when you attack someone’s character and question them as a person and not as a football player. Then you’d better be perfect in all cylinders of life. And you’re not.”

However, Porter’s comments also found support from the Steelers players. After he criticized the way Big Ben addressed Mike Tomlin, current quarterback Mason Rudolph responded with, “Go off,” while linebacker Patrick Queen added, “Talk!!!”

Former teammate Mike Mitchell also chimed in with, “Peezy talking that talk.” Will Allen echoed that sentiment with “OG Talk.”

Notably, Porter, Mitchell, and Allen all shared the locker room during the 2015 season. However, at the end, Roethlisberger remains one of the most accomplished players in franchise history. He retired as the Steelers’ all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns.

Yet Porter insists that talent does not equal leadership, arguing that Big Ben was never a good teammate.

For Joey Porter Sr., Ben Roethlisberger was a “not a good teammate”

Joey Porter Sr. saw how Ben Roethlisberger was from very close, as he shared a locker room with Ben Roethlisberger from 2004 to 2006 and later coached him from 2014 to 2018 in the Steel City. Because of that history, his words carried weight with Steelers Nation. Although he said he cared about his quarterback, he insisted people inside the building knew more than they admitted.

“He’s not a good teammate. Won a Super Bowl with him, but the person—he’s just not a good teammate,” Porter said.

Moreover, Porter offered a specific story on Cam Heyward’s podcast. He recalled moments when the quarterback refused to sign memorabilia for teammates.

“When he first did it to Chris Hoke, I was like, ‘Damn, that’s messed up, man.’ I grabbed it from Hoke, took it over there, and told him to sign it,” Porter said. “But then, when he did that to Aaron Smith, now I got to have a meeting [with Roethlisberger]. Like you’re a rookie, you’re a young guy.”

According to Porter, those moments forced him to step up. He claimed he had to act as a leader inside the locker room.

On the same podcast, Porter pointed to another example that, in his mind, reflected how teammates truly viewed the quarterback. Porter explained, once Roethlisberger became the starting quarterback, the team handed him the title without a vote.

“Because if he wasn’t a captain, he’d probably throw a hissy fit,” Porter said. “Nobody’s going to vote for him for captain because he doesn’t have captain qualities.”

So in Porter’s view, despite the rings and records, Roethlisberger might always fall short as the ideal teammate in the eyes of some inside the building.