Discussions are already underway regarding the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2027 and the extraordinary number of high-profile players who will become eligible for the first time. Included in this group is former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, whose career highlights feature a pair of Super Bowl victories, 64,088 passing yards, 418 touchdowns, and the fifth-highest win total for a starting quarterback in NFL history.
Even though Roethlisberger’s potential status as a first-ballot inductee is apparently a topic of debate, there is generally little question that the former Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller is bound for the Hall of Fame. However, former All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy argues that Roethlisberger’s career falls short of Hall of Fame standards due to his lack of individual accolades.
“You shouldn’t ever be in the Hall of Fame if you never earned an All-Pro selection,” McCoy stated on his podcast. “Think about how that sounds. For people who don’t play football, All-Pro means you are the absolute best in the league. Do you get what I mean? Seriously, how on earth did he never get an All-Pro nod? Because of that, leave him out.”
McCoy stuck to his position even when it was pointed out that Roethlisberger likely would have captured more personal honors had his career not overlapped with a golden era of legendary quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees.
“For me, I can’t advocate for you to be enshrined alongside the greatest players of all time if you never achieved an All-Pro selection,” he explained. “Think about that, though. It means you were never considered the premier quarterback or the top player at your position at any point.”
Roethlisberger’s shortage of individual awards will almost certainly be a topic of discussion when voters debate his candidacy. While McCoy remains unconvinced, this issue is unlikely to keep Roethlisberger out of Canton permanently. His career statistics—including his remarkable number of victories—are simply too strong for him to be bypassed indefinitely, even if he doesn’t make it in during his first year of eligibility in 2027.
Drafted as the third quarterback in the 2004 NFL Draft (behind Eli Manning and Philip Rivers), Roethlisberger put together one of the most impressive rookie seasons in league history. He established an NFL record by winning his first 12 starts, on his way to earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
In his second season, Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback to capture a Super Bowl title, guiding the Steelers as they became the first-ever sixth seed to win the championship. His crucial, game-saving tackle during Pittsburgh’s divisional round playoff victory over the Colts kept their championship hopes alive.
Three seasons later, Roethlisberger orchestrated one of the most iconic game-winning drives in NFL history, culminating in his dramatic, championship-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes at the conclusion of Super Bowl XLIII.
Two years after that, Roethlisberger once again guided the Steelers to the Super Bowl, where they ultimately fell to Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Although they never returned to the title game after that defeat, the Steelers remained a regular postseason threat for the majority of the following decade, largely due to Roethlisberger’s presence under center.
During that time, Roethlisberger also posted some massive statistical milestones, including becoming the first player in league history to throw six touchdowns in consecutive games, achieving the feat in 2014. He also holds the NFL record for the most 500-yard passing games with four.
From 2014 to 2018, Roethlisberger secured two passing titles and was selected to four Pro Bowls. He also led the NFL in average passing yards per game on three separate occasions during that period.
Along with his impressive statistics, Roethlisberger’s legacy as one of the toughest, most difficult quarterbacks to bring down in NFL history further strengthens his Hall of Fame credentials.
While he is skeptical of Roethlisberger, McCoy believes that one of Roethlisberger’s former teammates, Antonio Brown, is not only worthy of first-year enshrinement, but also asserts that Brown was superior to Jerry Rice, who is widely seen as the greatest receiver of all time. Just like Roethlisberger, Brown will become eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time in 2027.
“What is Jerry Rice capable of doing that AB couldn’t?” McCoy said. “I am simply saying, if AB had played for as many seasons as Rice did, he would have ended up with more yards than him.”
