The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.

With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005. Hurricanes forced the rescheduling of two Miami Dolphins home games: the game against the Tennessee Titans was moved up one day to Saturday, September 11 to avoid oncoming Hurricane Ivan, while the game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 26 was moved back 7½ hours to miss the eye of Hurricane Jeanne.

The playoffs began on January 8, and eventually New England repeated as NFL champions when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, the Super Bowl championship game, at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on February 6.

Major rule changes[link]

• Due to several incidents during the 2003 NFL season, officials are authorized to penalize excessive celebration. The 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be marked off from the spot at the end of the previous play or, after a score, on the ensuing kickoff. If the infraction is ruled flagrant by the officials, the player can be ejected.
• Due to several instances during the 2003–04 playoffs, officials are instructed to strictly enforce illegal contact, pass interference, and defensive holding.
• Timeouts can be called by head coaches.
• In addition to the numbers 80–89, wide receivers will now be allowed to use numbers 10–19.
• A punt or missed field goal that is untouched by the receiving team is immediately dead once it touches either the end zone or any member of the kicking team in the end zone. Previously, a punt or missed field goal that lands in the end zone before being controlled by the kicking team could be picked up by a member of the receiving team and immediately run the other way.
• Teams will be awarded a third instant replay challenge if their first two are successful. Previously, teams were only limited to two regardless of what occurred during the game.

2004 NFL Changes[link]

• Baltimore Ravens – Added third alternative uniforms. Black.
• Cincinnati Bengals – New Uniforms.
• Indianapolis Colts – Grey facemask. Black shoes.
• Jacksonville Jaguars – New road uniforms. White uniforms, black numbers with gold and teal trim. New black pants with Jaguars logo on hip.
• New York Giants – Added third alternative uniforms. Red.
• Minnesota Vikings – New FieldTurf field.
• Chicago Bears – Added third alternative uniforms. Orange.

Final regular season standings[link]

W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

Clinched playoff seeds are marked in parentheses and shaded in green. No ties occurred this year.

Tiebreakers

• ^a Indianapolis clinched the AFC #3 seed instead of San Diego based on better head-to-head record (1–0).
• ^b N.Y. Jets clinched the AFC #5 seed instead of Denver based on better record in common games (5–0 to 3–2).
• ^c St. Louis clinched the NFC #5 seed instead of Minnesota or New Orleans based on better conference record (7–5 to Minnesota's 5–7 to New Orleans' 6–6).
• ^d Minnesota clinched the NFC #6 seed instead of New Orleans based on better head-to-head record (1–0).
• ^e N.Y. Giants finished ahead of Dallas and Washington in the NFC East based on better head-to-head record (3–1 to Dallas' 2–2 to Washington's 1–3).
• ^f Dallas finished ahead of Washington in the NFC East based on better head-to-head record (2–0).

Playoffs[link]

Bracket[link]

* Indicates overtime victory

Milestones[link]

The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:

The Colts led the NFL with 522 points scored. The Colts tallied more points in the first half of each of their games of the 2004 NFL season (277 points) than seven other NFL teams managed in the entire season. ^[2] Despite throwing for 49 touchdown passes, Peyton Manning attempted fewer than 500 passes for the first time in his NFL career. ^[3]

Statistical leaders[link]

Team[link]

Individual[link]

Awards[link]

External links[link]

• Football Outsiders 2004 Team Efficiency Ratings

Notes[link]

References[link]

• NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
• NFL History 2001– (Last accessed October 17, 2005)
• Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
• Celebration penalty among rules changes (Last accessed October 17, 2005)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)

The National Football League has enjoyed success in selling out many of their venues from season ticket sales alone. Out of 32 teams in the league, 24 claim to have waiting lists from under 1,000 people to over 150,000. For some fans, this means a wait not just of years, but decades. This is due mostly to the NFL's short window of play; there are only eight regular-season home games, forcing the most devoted fans into a desperate and sometimes costly search for a limited number of events.^[1]

Since 1973, the waiting lists have also had the by-product of preventing any home games of certain teams from being blacked out on local television. Home games must be sold out within 72 hours of kickoff before a telecast is allowed, and the longest waiting lists have ensured every home game of the applicable teams being locally televised. Prior to 1973, home games could not be locally televised even if they were sold out. Four teams have had the benefit of not seeing any blackouts at all since 1972.

Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs)[link]

Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs) is a license which grants the holder the right to buy season tickets for a particular team. PSLs were first used in the NFL by the expansion Carolina Panthers in 1993 to help finance their new stadium. Since that time, several teams have used the mechanism to finance new stadium projects including the Chicago Bears remodel of Soldier Field and more recently the Dallas Cowboys. The New York Jets and the New York Giants used PSL programs to finance the construction of the New Meadowlands Stadium, now MetLife Stadium.^[2]

Criticism related to waiting lists[link]

In 2003, the New York Jets changed their waiting list policy to require a $50 annual maintenance fee to remain on the waiting list. However, due to the long list of names and high renewal rates among existing ticket holders, there was uncertainty about the fees a person may possibly have to pay if they remained on the list for many years. After attention from the media and the New York Attorney General's Office, the Jets agreed to cap the maintenance fees at $500, allow the transfer of the waiting list position if the person moved out of state and provide at least 80% of non-renewed season tickets to waiting list members. In 2008, the Jets sent notices to those on the waiting list that the $50 annual maintenance fee would be waived and any money already accrued would be either refunded or credited toward the purchase of Jets merchandise.

In 2004, the New England Patriots, who have a substantial season ticket waiting list, received media attention for not allowing the son of a deceased season ticket holder to retain his father's season tickets. The following year, the New England Patriots introduced the "Pass It On" transfer program, which allows season ticket holders to transfer season tickets to immediate family members for $2,000 to $5,000 per ticket, depending on the location of the seat.^[3]

The NFL requires that season ticket purchasers not only purchase the regular season games, but also typically two preseason games whether they want the exhibition games or not. The legality of requiring the purchase of the preseason games has been challenged all the way to the Supreme Court but it has not resulted in a change of policy for the NFL.^[4]

Lengthiest waiting lists[link]

Annual postcard sent out by the Green Bay Packers organization to those on the waiting list for season tickets

The Green Bay Packers have the most famous waiting list, with more than 90,000 names. Turnover is generally low; the Packers estimate that only 90 tickets turn over every year, a rate which would mean a name placed on the list today would be eligible for season tickets in 1000 years.^[5] It is a common custom in Green Bay and other Wisconsin cities to put a baby's name on the list as soon as the birth certificate is obtained.^[6][7][8] Transfer of standing to surviving relatives is permitted by the Packers.^[5]

The Washington Redskins were reported to have the most number of names on their waiting list at over 150,000. However, recent investigations question if a waiting list exists at all,^[9] which would seem to contradict the fact that FedExField has demolished 10,000 seats heading into the 2011 season. The New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Denver Broncos historically have also maintained long waiting lists for season tickets.^[1]

Waiting lists[link]

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b} "Toughest NFL Waiting Lists - Forbes.com". Forbes. 2007-09-07. http://www.forbes.com/2007/09/07/nfl-football-tickets-forbeslife-cx_ls_0907tickets.html. 
2. ^ Mascarenhas, Rohan (2010-08-17). "New Meadowlands Stadium opens to Giants, Jets fans in East Rutherford". The Star-Ledger (Newark). http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/new_meadowlands_stadium_opens.html. Retrieved 2011-08-23. 
3. ^ Mohl, Bruce (2005-02-25). "Season ticket transfer fees irk fans". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/02/25/season_ticket_transfer_fees_irk_fans/. 
4. ^ Angelo F. Coniglio v. Highwood Services, Inc., 495 F.2d 1286 (2d Cir. 1974-04-17).
5. ^ ^{a b} Gary D’Amato (19 January 2011). "Packers season tickets worth the wait - 1000 years for some on the list". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/114877119.html. Retrieved 24 February 2011. 
6. ^ Packers.com - Fan Zone - Faq - Tickets
7. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waitlist_Postcard.jpg
8. ^ "SI.com - Be the 74,659th In Line! - Oct 9, 2007". CNN. 2007-10-09. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/rick_reilly/10/09/reilly1015/index.html. Retrieved 2010-05-20. 
9. ^ [1]
10. ^ The Baltimore Ravens' waiting list is capped at 3,000.
11. ^ http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/green-bay-packers-daily-links-season-ticket-waiting-list-expands-to-96000
12. ^ http://www.seasonticketwaitinglist.com/2010/03/indianapolis-colts-season-tickets.html
13. ^ http://www.seasonticketwaitinglist.com/2010/03/new-england-patriots-season-tickets.html
14. ^ "#21 New Orleans Saints". Forbes. 2010-08-25. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/30/football-valuations-10_New-Orleans-Saints_309939.html. 
15. ^ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/06/01/want-eagles-season-tickets-wait-4-000-years/
16. ^ http://www.seasonticketwaitinglist.com/2009/05/pittsburgh-steelers-season-tickets.html
17. ^ O'Neil, Danny (2010-03-03). "Seahawks raise prices slightly for season-ticket renewals". The Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawks/2011244325_hawktickets04.html. 
18. ^ http://www.seasonticketwaitinglist.com/2010/03/seattle-seahawks-season-tickets.html

13 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/01/AR2009090103984_pf.html

Steven Jackson

Jackson in action in a November 2007 game
No. 39     St. Louis Rams
Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1983-07-22) July 22, 1983 (age 28)
Place of birth: Las Vegas, Nevada
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College: Oregon State
NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24
Debuted in 2004 for the St. Louis Rams
Career history
St. Louis Rams (2004–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Las Vegas Bowl MVP (2003) St. Louis Rams Rookie of the Year (2004) 3× Pro Bowl (2006, 2009, 2010) 2× All-Pro (2006, 2009) 3× Rams MVP Award (2006, 2009, 2010) NFC Rushing champion (2009) St. Louis Rams All-Time Leading Rusher
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2011
Rushing yards 9,093 Rushing average 4.3 Rushing TDs 52 Stats at NFL.com

Steven Rashad Jackson (born July 22, 1983) is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Rams 24th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State University.

Early years[link]

Jackson was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and was a running back for Eldorado High School. He was named the Sunrise Regional MVP and rushed for 6,396 yards and 81 touchdowns for the Sundevils. Jackson's Eldorado squad lost in the state final his senior year to Chris Carr (most recently of the Baltimore Ravens) and his perennial powerhouse McQueen High School (Reno, Nevada).

Jackson's subsequent success has been credited with prompting college football programs to take more interest in players in the Las Vegas area.^[1] This success also led to Jackson's induction into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.^[2]

College career[link]

Jackson ended his Oregon State career after three seasons. In 36 games, he carried 743 times for 3,625 yards for a 4.9-yard average and 39 touchdowns while adding 680 yards and 6 touchdowns on 66 catches and 240 yards with a touchdown on 7 kickoff returns. His 4,545 all-purpose yards rank second in school history, while he ranks third on the school’s all-time scoring list with 276 points. As a junior he ranked tenth in the nation in rushing, ninth in all-purpose yardage, and fourth in scoring; he carried the ball 350 times for 1,545 yards and 19 touchdowns, adding 44 receptions for 470 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 2,015 all-purpose yards set a school record. As a sophomore Jackson led the Pac-10 Conference in rushing and finished the season eighth nationally with 1,690 yards, an average of 130 yards per game.

Professional career[link]

2004 NFL Daft[link]

Jackson was overlooked by several teams in 2004, most likely due to a knee injury suffered during his last year at Oregon State - an injury that kept him from participating in drills at the 2004 NFL Combine. Jackson had surgery on the knee after the college season, but required additional clean-up surgery after his rookie year to ensure its complete rehabilitation. In an interview with CBS Sports' Pete Prisco on how the knee injury had affected his play, Jackson said "I never felt right. Now it does."^[4][5]

St. Louis Rams[link]

Jackson was drafted 24th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. The Rams swapped picks with the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals to get Jackson. Denver traded Deltha O'Neal to Cincinnati for their first round pick. Then, St. Louis traded up to Cincinnati's selection to grab Jackson while the Bengals chose Chris Perry to replace the departed Corey Dillon, who was traded to the New England Patriots.

On July 30, 2004, Jackson signed a 5-year, $7 million deal with the Rams, which included a $2.05 million signing bonus. In his 2004 rookie season, he was a backup under Marshall Faulk. Despite the limited playing time, he rushed 134 times for 673 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, and had 19 receptions for 189 yards.

With Faulk aging, Jackson was named the Rams' starting running back for the 2005 season. Jackson had 1,046 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns on 254 attempts, and caught 43 passes for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns.

After the dismissal of head coach Mike Martz, 2006 became Jackson's breakout season. With Scott Linehan as the new head coach, the Rams had a more balanced offensive attack. Jackson ran 346 times for 1,528 yards and 13 touchdowns and led all running backs when he caught 90 passes for 806 yards, and adding 3 touchdowns. He also led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage with 2,334. For his efforts, Jackson was named to his first Pro Bowl and received one vote for the 2006 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.^[6] He was also named the Rams MVP of 2006.

During the Rams' dismal 2007 season, Jackson lashed out at fans and expressed distaste with the music played in the Edward Jones Dome. After the season, with one year left on his rookie contract, Jackson believed he was underpaid and held out of training camp. On August 21, 2008, Jackson officially ended his holdout by signing a six-year contract worth a maximum of $49.3 million, including a $11.4 million signing bonus and $21 million guaranteed. Because the final two years of the deal (the 2012 & 2013 seasons) can be voided based on Jackson's performance, it could become a three-year extension worth $29.3 million instead. Either way, signing the contract made him the highest-paid running back in the NFL.^[7]

On October 24, 2010, Jackson surpassed Eric Dickerson as the Rams' all-time leading rusher, with a 110-yard effort against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[8] Then on November 21, 2010, he recorded his 10,000th career yard from scrimmage on a first quarter run against the Atlanta Falcons. Jackson rushed for 1,145 yards during the 2011 Regular Season, marking the seventh consecutive season he has surpassed 1,000 yards.^[9]

Professional statistics[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• A Week in the Life With Steven Jackson Documentary, aweek.SJ39.com
• In the Life With Steven Jackson Documentary, inthelife.SJ39.com
• Steven Jackson on Facebook
• Steven Jackson on Twitter
• St. Louis Rams bio

Ben Roethlisberger

Roethlisberger during the Super Bowl XL victory parade in Pittsburgh
No. 7     Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1982-03-02) March 2, 1982 (age 30)
Place of birth: Lima, Ohio
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight: 241 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College: Miami (OH)
NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11
Debuted in 2004 for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Career history
Pittsburgh Steelers (2004-present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2004) Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year (2004) 2× Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII) 3× AFC Champion (2005, 2008, 2010) 2× Pro Bowl (2007, 2011) "Joe Greene Great Performance Award" (2004) #7 jersey retired (Miami University Redhawks) 2009 Steelers MVP Other Records and Awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2011
TD-INT 165-100 Passing yards 26,579 Passer rating 92.1 Stats at NFL.com

Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger (pronounced /ˈrɒθlɨsbɜrɡər/; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round (11th overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Miami University.

Roethlisberger earned the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2004 and his first Pro Bowl selection in 2007. He became the youngest Super Bowl-winning quarterback in NFL history, helping lead the Steelers, in his second professional season, to a 21–10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL at the age of 23. Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a second Super Bowl title in four seasons as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, 27–23, after completing a game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in the final 35 seconds.

Roethlisberger has been one of the most efficient passers in NFL history. He currently ranks 10th all-time in NFL passer rating (92.9), 5th in yards per attempt (8.06), and 11th in completion percentage (63.24%) among quarterbacks with a minimum of 1,500 career attempts. He has the fourth highest career winning percentage (.710) as a starter in the regular season among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 starts.

Off the field, Roethlisberger has been involved in high-profile incidents, including a nearly fatal motorcycle accident in 2006 and sexual assault allegations in Lake Tahoe in 2008 and in Milledgeville, Georgia, in 2010. Neither allegation resulted in charges being filed; however, the latter act resulted in Roethlisberger being suspended for six games (reduced to four) under the NFL's personal conduct policy for the start of the 2010 season.

Known for playing outside the quarterback pocket in what he calls "backyard football",^[1] Roethlisberger grew up idolizing John Elway, and has often been compared to him.^[2] Roethlisberger wears number 7 in Elway's honor.^[3]

Early years[link]

Roethlisberger was born in Lima, Ohio,^[4] the son of Ida Jane (née Foust) and Kenneth Todd "Ken" Roethlisberger. His father is a former pitcher and quarterback at Georgia Tech.^[5][6] He is of part Swiss descent; his surname, "Roethlisberger" (Swiss-German spelling: Röthlisberger), is of Swiss origin with roots in the village of Geissbuehl Lauperswil, Switzerland.^[7][8]

At Findlay High School in Findlay, Ohio, Roethlisberger was captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams. Roethlisberger did not play quarterback until his senior year, giving way to the coach's son, Ryan Hite. Instead, Roethlisberger played wide receiver because, as coach Cliff Hite explained to the Toledo Blade, "My son throwing to Ben was a better combination."^[9] Hite told the Toledo Blade regarding the decision to start his son at quarterback over Roethlisberger: "I'm a nationally known knucklehead."^[9]

College career[link]

Roethslisberger played college quarterback at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. At Miami, he got a chance to start as a redshirt freshman and started three years of Division I college football despite only a single year experience as a high school quarterback.^[10] Roethlisberger holds every major passing record at the school and a number of passing records in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). He played just three years before joining the NFL, leaving school four college credits shy of graduating.^[11]

As a redshirt freshman, Roethlisberger threw for over 3,100 yards. In 2002, he threw more than 3,200 yards, and in 2003, he threw more than 4,400 yards. In 2003, Roethlisberger led the Miami RedHawks to an unbeaten record in the MAC, a No. 10 ranking in the Associated Press poll and a 49-28 victory over Louisville in the 2003 GMAC Bowl.^[10]

His number was retired by the RedHawks in 91st annual homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, with festivities including the RedHawks football game against Bowling Green; Roethlisberger becoming only the third athlete in Miami football history to have his jersey number retired, joining John Pont and Bob Hitchens. It was the first time in 34 years Miami retired a football jersey number.^[12][13]

The Draft[link]

The success of the 2003 Miami Redhawks led to the expectation that Roethlisberger would be drafted early. During the GMAC Bowl, commentators discussed some of his skills that would translate to success in the NFL.

At the combine, Roethlisberger scored a 25 on the Wonderlic.^[14] Roethlisberger was one of the players invited to attend the draft along with others in the "Green Room" and was featured on the show "Hey Rookie Welcome to the NFL."

Quarterback class of 2004[link]

Roethlisberger was one of four quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft along with Philip Rivers, Eli Manning, and J.P. Losman. Due to the trade between Manning and Rivers, Roethlisberger was the highest-drafted quarterback that year that played for the team that drafted him. Before Paul Tagliabue announced the selection of Roethlisberger, the phone call he received by Steelers head coach Bill Cowher was shown live on ESPN, confirming the team's selection before the official announcement.

Roethlisberger, Rivers, and Manning have been voted to the Pro Bowl since becoming starters, none have produced a season with a losing record (although each has had an 8-8 season), and Roethlisberger and Manning have each won two Super Bowls. They have been compared favorably to the Quarterback class of 1983, which included Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Marino, John Elway, and Jim Kelly.^[15]

Professional career[link]

Roethlisberger takes a snap against the Bengals in 2006.

Roethlisberger was selected 11th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. On August 4, 2004, he signed a six-year contract worth $22.26 million in salaries and bonuses, with an additional $17.73 million available via incentives. He was touted by then-Steelers coach Bill Cowher in a press conference as a franchise quarterback.^[16]

On March 4, 2008, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Roethlisberger agreed to an eight-year, $102 million contract.^[17] Roethlisberger had two years left on his original that he signed after the draft. He has stated that he wants to retire as a Steeler.^[18]

2004 season[link]

Roethlisberger did not immediately step in as the starting quarterback for the Steelers. He was the No. 3 QB behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. When Batch was injured in the preseason, however, Roethlisberger moved up to no. 2. Maddox started, and won, the season opener against the Raiders and started versus the Ravens. But after an ineffective outing and third-quarter injury to Maddox, Roethlisberger stepped in for his first NFL action. Despite spurring a mild comeback, the Steelers lost the game. Maddox's injury changed the Steelers' original plan for Roethlisberger, which was for him to sit on the bench or play sparingly during the first season or two in order to learn the team's system. Instead, he started the third game of the season.

As a rookie, he went 13-0 in the regular season (14–1 including playoffs) as a starting quarterback, helping the Steelers become the first AFC team to have 15 wins (2–1 under Maddox [first two and last game], 13–0 under Roethlisberger) in a single regular season, surpassing former Steeler Mike Kruczek for the record for the best start by a rookie (6-0) and exceeding the mark for total wins as a rookie, set by Chris Chandler and Joe Ferguson. On January 5, 2005, Roethlisberger was unanimously selected as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press, the first quarterback in 34 years to be so honored.

One of Roethlisberger's biggest games was when he led the Steelers to a 34–20 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion and previously undefeated New England Patriots, ending their NFL-record 21-game winning streak. He completed 18 of 24 pass attempts for 196 yards, two TDs and no turnovers. The week after that game, the Steelers defeated the also previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles 27–3. Roethlisberger was 11 of 18 for 183 yards, with two TDs and one interception.

In his first nationally-televised game on Sunday Night Football, he led the Steelers to a 17–16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was near-perfect on the night, completing 14 of 17 passes for 226 yards and two TDs. Jeff Reed's 37-yard field goal in the final minute gave the Steelers and Roethlisberger their tenth straight win.

Two weeks later, Roethlisberger faced off against the New York Giants and the no. 1 overall pick of the 2004 draft, Eli Manning. Roethlisberger posted his first career 300-yard passing game, with 18 of 28 passes for 316 yards and a TD. He led his fifth game-winning drive of the season, capping a drive with a Jerome Bettis TD run for a 33–30 victory. Eli Manning threw an interception to seal the game for Pittsburgh.

In the divisional playoffs against the New York Jets, Roethlisberger threw two interceptions. One interception was returned for a touchdown, and the other was thrown with 2:03 left in the fourth quarter, which set up a potential game-winning field goal by Jets kicker Doug Brien. Brien missed the kick as time expired (his second missed kick in the last two minutes of the game), forcing the game into overtime. In overtime, Roethlisberger led the Steelers down the field and put them in position for the game-winning field goal, a 33-yard attempt that was made by Jeff Reed, sending the Steelers into the AFC Championship for the fourth time in 10 years.

On January 23, 2005 in the AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger completed 14 of 24 pass attempts for 226 yards and two TDs, but he also threw three costly interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Rodney Harrison. The Steelers lost the game to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, by a score of 41–27.

2005 Super Bowl season[link]

Roethlisberger signs autographs at Super Bowl XL media day.

In the 2005 regular season, the Steelers finished 11-5. After securing an AFC wild card spot en route to victory in the Super Bowl, the Steelers pulled off upsets at Indianapolis and Denver in the AFC playoffs in addition to wins over higher seeds Cincinnati and Seattle.

During the course of the regular 2005 season, Roethlisberger missed four games due to various knee injuries. The Steelers went 9-3 with Roethlisberger at quarterback and 2-2 without him. He led the league in Yards Per Attempt with an 8.90, and finished third in passer rating behind Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer with a 98.6.^[19]

The Super Bowl run began on January 8, 2006 as Roethlisberger helped lead the Steelers to a playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals—an AFC North rival that had beaten the Steelers by seven points in the regular season to win the division championship. The rematch featured two teams with identical records, having split their regular season series since each team won on the road. Early in the game on Carson Palmer's first throw, a tackle by former Steeler Kimo von Oelhoffen resulted in Palmer's anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) being completely torn. The Bengals' backup quarterback, Jon Kitna, came in and led the Bengals to leads of 10-0 and 17-7. However, the 17-7 lead midway through the second quarter would be the last time in the 2005 postseason that the Steelers would trail an opponent by more than three points. After Kitna failed to produce, the Steelers took advantage by taking the next 24 straight points, and the win, in a 31-17 victory in Cincinnati.

Their second road win came on January 15. Roethlisberger led the Steelers against the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL's top team throughout the season and a heavy favorite to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XL. Roethlisberger threw for 197 yards and recorded a game-saving tackle on Colts' defensive back Nick Harper, who had just recovered a Jerome Bettis fumble with less than two minutes left in the game. Pittsburgh led early but had to survive a Colts comeback to win 21-18, after an errant call that the NFL later admitted was a mistake,^[20] which overturned a Troy Polamalu interception that would have secured the game for the Steelers. Roethlisberger's tackle on Harper, dubbed by many as The Tackle II or The Immaculate Redemption, was compared by many to "The Immaculate Reception" in 1972, when Franco Harris made a miraculous reception and scored the game-winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. The victory marked the first time in playoff history that a sixth-seeded NFL playoff team defeated the top-seeded team.

On January 22, 2006, the Steelers defeated the Broncos 34-17 in Denver to win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl XL. Roethlisberger completed 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards and threw two touchdown passes and scored one TD himself on a four-yard play-action bootleg. His run was the last touchdown of the game, sealing the win for the Steelers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL 21-10 over the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit on February 5, 2006. Roethlisberger had one of the worst passing games of his career, completing just nine of 21 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions; his passer rating of 22.6 was the lowest in Super Bowl history by a winning quarterback. Though he did convert eight third-down situations in the game to help the Steelers win, none of them was bigger than his 37-yard pass to Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward on a third-and-28 that set up the Steelers' first TD (a one-yard quarterback sneak by Roethlisberger on third and goal). With the victory, Roethlisberger, at 23 years old, became the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl, a record previously held by Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.

2006 season[link]

Roethlisberger drops back against Kansas City Chiefs in 2006. Steelers won 45-7.

After an off-season motorcycle crash in which he was seriously injured, Roethlisberger missed the opening game of the 2006 season after having an emergency appendectomy on September 3. Backup Charlie Batch started and led the Steelers to a victory over Miami. Roethlisberger played the following game against Jacksonville on Monday Night Football. His return resulted in a sub-par performance as he threw two interceptions with no touchdowns in a 9-0 loss. In week three, Roethlisberger completed fewer than half of his passes for three interceptions and no touchdowns in a 28-20 loss to the Bengals. The final interception came in the final seconds of the game, in the end zone, ending Pittsburgh's comeback attempt.

In a week-five game against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football, Roethlisberger looked sharp throughout the first half, leading three scoring drives. However, in the second half, he threw two interceptions, both of which shifted momentum away from the Steelers and led to the Chargers' 23-13 win. In week six against the Kansas City Chiefs, Roethlisberger had his first big game of the season, completing 16 of 19 passes for 238 yards with two touchdowns (his first of the year) and no interceptions during a 45-7 rout of the Chiefs. During week seven in Atlanta, Roethlisberger continued his success, going 16 of 22 for 237 yards and three TDs. But during the third quarter, Roethlisberger was helped off the field after suffering a concussion following a controversial hit by Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney. Roethlisberger was replaced by Charlie Batch, and the Steelers went on to lose 41-38 in overtime.

On October 29 against the Oakland Raiders, Roethlisberger threw four interceptions in a 20-13 upset loss. The loss was his fifth of the season—two more than he had in his first two seasons combined as a starter—and gave him a total of 11 INTs, versus just six TDs, on the season. In a week-nine rematch of the 2005 AFC championship game against Denver, Roethlisberger threw a career-high 433 yards but had three of the six Steelers turnovers in a 31-20 loss. Roethlisberger and the Steelers got back on a winning track in a home game a week later against the New Orleans Saints. He passed for 265 yards and three TDs in a 38-31 win.

In week 11, Roethlisberger overcame three first-half INTs by throwing for 224 yards and two TDs in the fourth quarter, leading the Steelers to score 21 points and come back to beat the Cleveland Browns 24-20. The following week, Roethlisberger and the Steelers were held scoreless in a 27-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Roethlisberger finished 21 of 41 for 214 yards and two INTs. He was sacked nine times, including once by Ravens linebacker Bart Scott, which sent him to the sidelines briefly. He also fumbled once, which the Ravens returned for a TD in the second half. Roethlisberger bounced back the following game, throwing for 198 yards and two TDs in a 20-3 victory over Tampa Bay.

Pittsburgh kept their playoff hopes alive in week 14 with a 27-7 victory against the Browns. Roethlisberger went 11 of 21 for 225 yards with one TD, and rushed for one more. In week 15, Roethlisberger threw for 140 yards and a TD in a 37-3 rout of the Carolina Panthers. The following week, Baltimore eliminated Pittsburgh from the playoffs. In the 31-7 defeat, Roethlisberger was intercepted twice and threw for 156 yards.

Roethlisberger ended the season on a good note by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-17 in overtime in what would be Bill Cowher's final game as Steelers coach. He was 19 for 28 passing with 280 yards, one TD, and one INT. In overtime, Roethlisberger completed a slant pass to rookie Santonio Holmes, who went 67 yards for the game-winning TD. This win eliminated the Bengals from playoff contention.

2007 season[link]

Season recap[link]

Week 1 at Cleveland Browns (W 34-7): Roethlisberger threw four TD passes in a game for the first time in his NFL career as he led the Steelers to a win in the debut of new Steeler head coach Mike Tomlin.^[21]

Week 2 vs. Buffalo Bills (W 26-3): After settling for four field goals in the first half, Roethlisberger threw a one-yard TD pass to rookie tight end Matt Spaeth in the third quarter.^[22]

Roethlisberger in a Steelers' throwback jersey during 500th franchise win

Week 3 vs. San Francisco 49ers (W 37-16): Roethlisberger was 13 of 20 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown pass to the third TE, Jerame Tuman.^[23]

Week 4 at Arizona Cardinals (L 21-14): Roethlisberger looked to get a win over his former offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, now the head coach of the Cardinals. However, Roethlisberger had his first loss of the season as he was intercepted twice; once in the red zone, and then on a desperation pass with six seconds left in the game.^[24]

Week 5 vs. Seattle Seahawks (W 21-0): Despite starting wide receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes missing the game due to injury, Roethlisberger completed 18 of 22 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown pass to Heath Miller.^[25]

Week 7 at Denver Broncos (L 31-28): On Sunday Night Football, Roethlisberger turned the ball over three times in the first half, before throwing three touchdown passes on the Steelers' three offensive drives in the second half; his last score tied the game at 28. Denver won on a last second field goal.^[26]

Week 8 at Cincinnati Bengals (W 24-13): Roethlisberger threw a pair of touchdown passes to Hines Ward in the first half, and finished the game with 230 yards passing.^[27]

Week 9 vs. Baltimore Ravens (W 38-7): On Monday Night Football, Roethlisberger passed for a career-high five touchdown passes, which tied the team record held by Terry Bradshaw and Mark Malone. All five touchdowns were thrown in the first half, making Roethlisberger one of two quarterbacks in the 2007 season (the other being Tom Brady), and only the fifth quarterback since the 1970 merger, to accomplish such a feat. He also posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating, finishing 13/16 for 209 yards and no interceptions.^[28]

Week 10 vs. Cleveland Browns (W 31-28): Roethlisberger helped the Steelers erase a 15-point deficit against the rival Browns. With the Steelers trailing 21-16 in the fourth quarter and facing a third-and-10 from the Cleveland 30-yard line, Roethlisberger scrambled up the middle of the field for a 30-yard TD run (the longest run of his career at that point). He then completed a two-point conversion pass to Hines Ward. After the Browns returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD, Roethlisberger again had to drive the offense with a four-point deficit. This time he made three crucial plays on third down: an 18-yard pass to Santonio Holmes on third-and-six, a 20-yard pass to Heath Miller on a third-and-18, and a 10-yard scramble on third-and-nine. Roethlisberger capped off the drive with a short TD pass to Heath Miller, which proved to be the game winner.^[29]

Week 11 at New York Jets (L 19-16 OT): After Roethlisberger led a go ahead field goal drive in the fourth quarter, the Jets forced the Steelers to overtime, where after a three and out by Pittsburgh, the Jets kicked the winning field goal. Roethlisberger was sacked seven times in the game.^[30]

Week 12 vs. Miami Dolphins (W 3-0): Roethlisberger set a Steelers record, completing 85.7% of his passes (18 of 21) as the Steelers beat the Miami Dolphins 3-0, a feat made all the more remarkable given the weather conditions. Pittsburgh was hit with a torrential storm, delaying the Monday night game 30 minutes due to lightning, while turning the new sod on the field, laid earlier that week, into a soggy mess. In many parts of the field, players sunk several inches with each step. After one of the game's punts, the ball infamously stood straight up, stuck in the ground upon impact. With the game scoreless in the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger led a game-winning field goal drive for the only points of the night.^[31]

Week 15 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (L 29-22): Roethlisberger threw his 29th TD pass of the season, to Nate Washington, breaking the team single-season TD pass record previously held by Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. The score also helped complete a 15-point comeback in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 22. On the final drive, down 29-22 and facing a fourth-and-seven, Roethlisberger completed a 6-yard pass to Heath Miller, short of the first down.^[32]

Week 16 at St. Louis Rams (W 41-24): On Thursday Night Football, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in NFL history to have two perfect passer rating (158.3) games in the same regular season, completing 16/20 passes for 261 yards and 3 TDs. It was his third career perfect passer rating game, tying Peyton Manning for the most such regular-season games in NFL history.^[33] Roethlisberger and other key starters did not play in the week 17 finale at Baltimore, as they had already clinched the AFC North division title and their spot in the AFC playoffs.

To cap his comeback season, Roethlisberger was selected to his first Pro Bowl, joining five other Steelers teammates on the AFC squad. Roethlisberger's 32 touchdown passes ranked third in the NFL, behind Tony Romo and Tom Brady, while his 104.1 passer rating was second only to Brady. Roethlisberger also set a new Steelers single-season record with 32 touchdown passes.

AFC Wild Card vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (L 31-29): In a week 15 rematch, Roethlisberger struggled early, throwing three interceptions in the 2nd quarter, one being returned for a TD by Rashean Mathis as the Steelers trailed 21-7 at halftime. With the injury to Willie Parker, the Steelers were never able to mount a rushing attack as the backs finished with 22 carries for 30 yards. The Steelers trailed 28-10 to start the 4th quarter, and were facing a 4th & 12 at the Jaguar 37 yard line. Roethlisberger completed a quick slant against the blitz to Santonio Holmes, who broke a tackle and scored to make it 28-17. Roethlisberger led a TD drive on each of the next two Steeler possessions as they took a 29-28 lead with just over six minutes remaining. However, they failed to convert the two-point conversion both times, and the Jaguars were able to get the game-winning FG after Jacksonville QB David Garrard scrambled for 32 yards on a fourth-and-two play. In the second half alone, Roethlisberger completed 17 of 23 passes for 263 yards and 2 TD passes. Roethlisberger did get the ball back with twenty-nine seconds left, but was sacked for the sixth time in the game and fumbled.^[34]

Despite the disappointing playoff loss, Roethlisberger enjoyed a successful comeback season. He finished third in Comeback Player of the Year voting, behind the Patriots' Randy Moss and the Dallas Cowboys' Greg Ellis, who won the award.^[35] Roethlisberger played in his first Pro Bowl in Hawaii, and played three series in the 2nd quarter, going 5/9 for 42 yards and a TD, and he led the AFC team in rushing with an 18-yard scramble. The NFC won the game 42-30.^[36]

2008 Super Bowl season[link]

Season recap[link]

Week 1 vs. Houston Texans (W 38-17): Completed 13 of 14 passes for a career-high 92.9 completion percentage (min. 10 attempts), and finished with 137 yards passing and two TD passes. Byron Leftwich took over in the fourth quarter when Roethlisberger was on the sideline with a shoulder injury.^[37]

Week 2 at Cleveland Browns (W 10-6): Leading the Steelers to their 10th straight win over the Browns on a windy, rainy night in Cleveland, Roethlisberger completed 13 of 20 passes for 179 yards and a TD. He also had the first pass reception of his career, a negative-seven yard completion to himself after a deflected pass in the 2nd quarter.^[38]

Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles (L 15-6): Behind a relentless pass rush by Philadelphia, Roethlisberger was sacked eight times, fumbled twice, threw one interception, and was called for a safety in the fourth quarter. He did not finish the game, as his throwing hand was injured.^[39]

Week 4 vs. Baltimore Ravens (W 23-20 OT): On Monday Night Football against a division rival, the Steelers trailed 13-3 at halftime. Roethlisberger threw a TD pass to Santonio Holmes in the third quarter to start a comeback. He completed two passes to Mewelde Moore for 31 yards in overtime, setting up Jeff Reed for the winning 46-yard field goal.^[40]

Week 5 at Jacksonville Jaguars (W 26-21): On Sunday Night Football, completed 26 of 41 passes for 309 yards and three TDs. His 239 yards passing in the first half was a career high. After falling behind 21-20 in the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger directed the game-winning drive, passing for an eight-yard TD to Hines Ward to put the Steelers ahead.^[41] He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week and the FedEx Air Player of the Week for his performance.^[42]