Ben Roethlisberger made the Steelers buy him a rugby ball to use in practice to make throwing a football easier
Gene J. Puskar/AP
For the past two seasons, as the rest of his team stretches together at the beginning of practice, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is often seen throwing a red and white rugby ball with an equipment manager standing some 15 feet away.
He throws it overhand, like a football, but also tosses it sidearm and underhand while experimenting with different grips and angles.
In a fun story on ESPN Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler explained that Roethlisberger does this for the same reason baseball players use donuts: it helps make the football feel smaller and lighter.
"It makes the actual ball feel smaller for practice," Roethlisberger told ESPN.
Here's Roethlisberger tossing it around during a practice, via PennLive:
Fowler also reports that the rugby ball, which is at least two ounces heavier than a football, helps Roethlisberger warm up his shoulder during practice.
According to Fowler, finding a rugby ball in Pittsburgh was surprisingly difficult for the Steelers equipment staff.
The backstory behind the ball: About two years ago, Roethlisberger asked the equipment managers if he could bring a rugby ball to practices. But field manager Patrick Noone said the group looked everywhere -- Dick's Sporting Goods, Target, wherever -- and couldn't find the ball for sale.
Eventually, they stumbled across BSN Sports out of Pittsburgh. About $33 later, Big Ben has his big ball.
It must be working. The Steelers went 11-5 this season and are in the playoffs for the third straight year.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- FSSAI in process of collecting pan-India samples of Nestle's Cerelac baby cereals: CEO
- India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030
- Top 5 places to visit near Rishikesh
- Indian economy remains in bright spot: Ministry of Finance
- A surprise visit: Tesla CEO Elon Musk heads to China after deferring India visit
- Unemployment among Indian youth is high, but it is transient: RBI MPC member
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market