Brian Hoyer Shares Unique Experience With Steelers

The Ben Roethlisberger Era of the Pittsburgh Steelers was sort of like the Wild West. The rules were loose, structure fell apart, and the game was free.

That's how Roethlisberger led the Steelers to two Super Bowl championships. Just because it worked for Big Ben and Mike Tomlin, doesn't mean it worked for everyone. Some players thrived in systems structured around timing and sticking to the game plan, and asking them to go off script doesn't bring out their best.

One of those players was long-time NFL quarterback Brian Hoyer. He spent a few weeks in Pittsburgh during the 2012 season, and he described how the Steelers did things differently during his brief stint. On an appearance on Jon Gruden's podcast, he shared how the timing in practice was so different due to Roethlisberger's tendency to extend plays.

"I'm sure for you too. If I didn't hit the play in rhythm in practice, I was pissed," Hoyer said. "In Pittsburgh, they were like, 'Nope, that's good.' That's how we want it."

Steelers' Controlled Chaos

When Hoyer experienced the Steelers, it was prime Roethlisberger. He had already won two championships at this point, and his reputation for being an impossible to bring down quarterback was well established.

Despite missing three games that year, Roethlisberger's ability to extend plays was fueling the rise of the Steelers' offense. It was almost as if the team called a play, but carried an understanding that your responsibility didn't end when your route broke.

Shortly after this season, the Killer B's would emerge as Roethlisberger went on the most productive stretch of his career. Much of that offense came off of the extension of plays from Roethlisberger.