Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) participates in drills during minicamp held at Heinz Field. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Roethlisberger keeping stricter diet than Tom Brady?

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 7/14/21

If Ben Roethlisberger does not play well in his 18th NFL season, it will apparently have nothing to do with physique. Why? Because 39-year-old Big Ben is — once again — said to be in the best shape of his life.

Broadcaster Ryan Burr shared some information this week about Roethlisberger’s physique that he attributed to a source close to the quarterback. Burr says the source told him that Big Ben has been on a stricter diet than Tom Brady’s this offseason. He also said his arm is in fantastic shape.

Ben camp says biggest concern is weight loss. He has been so driven since season ended. Source says his diet is stricter than Brady. https://t.co/wgmpM7Y9Wu

— Ryan Burr (@RyanBurr) July 12, 2021

Source goes on to say from an arm standpoint, Ben is more likely to win his first league MVP than finish outside top 10 in passing. https://t.co/aZnOW9mIfG

— Ryan Burr (@RyanBurr) July 12, 2021

“Ben will never mention the beating he has taken in the media but says from a dedication standpoint has never seen anything from Ben close to this in past. Source say obsessed with diet & workouts. “ https://t.co/xiezHzYrUj

— Ryan Burr (@RyanBurr) July 12, 2021

Burr went on to say that Roethlisberger is tired of his reputation for being lazy and out of shape. For what it’s worth, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said he has not noticed any significant change to Roethlisberger’s weight or physique this offseason.

If Ben Roethlisberger's physique is, again, the Steelers topic du jour (though in a different way than usual this time) wouldn't it be juicier if we hadn't seen the guy in months? We just saw him, in-person, less than four weeks ago. He looked the same as ever. There are photos! pic.twitter.com/QVCDb20jZ8

— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) July 13, 2021

Even if Roethlisberger has focused more on his diet this offseason, it would be hard to imagine it is stricter than Brady’s. Burr openly said his information came from the Roethlisberger camp, so it needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Roethlisberger had 3,803 yards, 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. He is still capable of winning games, but the offensive line is a huge concern. One former NFL GM recently made a bold prediction about how 2021 is going to go for Big Ben, and Steelers fans are not going to like it.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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