Rivalries as intense as the ones in the AFC North can last long after the players have stepped away from the game. The bad feelings created by such nearby competitors are not soon forgotten.
Ben Roethlisberger got a first-hand look at that intensity over a long 18-year career as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though he experienced many notable victories, including two Super Bowl championships, it seemed he enjoyed defeating the Cleveland Browns almost more than anything else.
Now, Roethlisberger is taking a big jab at the Browns’ new stadium, which is set to open in time for the 2029 NFL season, saying it could be named for him based on his lengthy record of success against them.
“Going through emails and stuff, they’re asking me for naming rights. Like they want me to put my name on it maybe,” Roethlisberger said.
Big Ben on the Browns New Stadium:
“Going through emails and stuff and they’re asking me for naming rights.” 😂😂#steelers@deeboandjoe pic.twitter.com/NwllUO0zcS
— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) March 24, 2026
The Ohio native who played in college at Miami (Ohio) arrived in the NFL five years after the Browns were reinstated into the league. Cleveland had the No. 6 overall pick in that 2004 draft, and instead of selecting Roethlisberger, they chose tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. Pittsburgh then drafted Roethlisberger at No. 11, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Motivated by that decision, Roethlisberger played against Cleveland 29 times in the regular season and won 26 of those games, including all 14 in Pittsburgh. The only home game he ever lost to the Browns was their only playoff meeting, in the 2020 season.
On the road, at the Browns’ current stadium, now known as Huntington Bank Field, Roethlisberger was 12-2-1. His victories still rank third all-time there, behind only Baker Mayfield and Joe Flacco.
In 64 regular-season games against the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, Roethlisberger was 41-20. With him at QB, Pittsburgh won the AFC North eight times, while Cleveland never won it and finished as high as second just twice.
Maybe this new stadium can change those fortunes for Cleveland. Work has begun on the $2.4 billion project that is expected to include the closest seats to the field of any NFL venue.
Whether Roethlisberger will purchase a ticket for one remains to be seen.
NEXT: Browns Veteran Is Visiting With Giants Today
