During Super Bowl week, the spotlight briefly shifted from the game on the field to a conversation off it - one centered around Ben Roethlisberger, the longtime Steelers quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion. Former Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter Sr. didn’t mince words when asked about his former teammate, calling Roethlisberger “not a good teammate” and adding, “Anybody in the Steeler building knows that.” Porter acknowledged the success they shared, but made it clear he drew a line between the player and the person.
That kind of blunt honesty from a respected former player always makes waves, especially when it’s aimed at a franchise quarterback - and one with Roethlisberger’s résumé. But on Monday, another former Steeler stepped up with a very different take.
David DeCastro, the Pro Bowl guard who spent nearly a decade protecting Roethlisberger, went on Pittsburgh’s 93.7 The Fan and offered a strong defense of his former QB. And it wasn’t just lip service - it was the kind of insight you only get from someone who spent years in the huddle, in the trenches, and in the locker room.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” DeCastro said. “But I loved playing with Ben - for Ben, protecting him.
It was a big task. I just loved his energy.”
That energy, DeCastro explained, wasn’t limited to game day. Whether it was corn hole, darts, or shooting hoops, Roethlisberger brought the same competitive fire to everything he did. And when it came time to lead the offense, that fire was front and center.
“He’s the guy when you get in the huddle, he’s got the energy,” DeCastro recalled. “He does the head tap before the games, the pregame thing, go around tap everyone’s head. You miss getting those juices flowing and, you know, having a guy like that.”
It’s a side of Roethlisberger that fans don’t always see - the emotional spark, the locker room rituals, the contagious will to win. According to DeCastro, that leadership mattered.
It wasn’t just about arm strength or reading defenses; it was about setting a tone, creating belief. “That’s what you need as a quarterback,” he said.
“That energy, that will, that want to win. It was contagious, and I took a lot of pride in protecting a Hall of Fame quarterback.”
Porter’s comments weren’t the first time a former Steeler questioned Roethlisberger’s leadership behind the scenes, and they may not be the last. But DeCastro’s words serve as a reminder that locker rooms are complex, and legacies are rarely one-note. Different players experience leadership in different ways - and Roethlisberger, like many greats, seems to have inspired both admiration and criticism.
With Roethlisberger eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2027, these conversations could carry more weight in the years ahead. Voters will look at the numbers, the rings, the accolades - but also the intangibles.
Was he a franchise cornerstone? Was he a leader?
The answers, clearly, depend on who you ask. But what’s undeniable is that Roethlisberger left a lasting impact in Pittsburgh - one that’s still being debated long after his final snap.