Ben Roethlisberger Believes Terrell Suggs Ought to Have Been First-Poll Corridor Of Famer

Throughout their careers as key parts of the historic Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens rivalry, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and outside linebacker Terrell Suggs had quite a few battles, becoming thorns in each other’s sides.

They had some pointed words for each other throughout those rivalry matchups, too, but the pair developed great mutual respect for each other.

Now that they’re both retired and the playing careers are long gone behind them, that respect has grown even further, specifically from Roethlisberger’s side.

During the latest episode of his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast Tuesday afternoon, Roethlisberger spoke highly of Suggs, stating that he believes he should have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

“I respect the heck out of Terrell Suggs. T-Sizzle should be a Hall of Famer, should have went in right away,” Roethlisberger said of Suggs in response to a viewer question, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. 

Suggs, who last played in the NFL in 2019 with the Kansas City Chiefs, was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 in his first year of eligibility. But, he wasn’t selected as the likes of TE Antonio Gates, WR Sterling Sharpe, DE Jared Allen and CB Eric Allen were elected to the Hall of Fame in the Class of 2025.

Despite not being a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Suggs had the resume, finishing with 139 career sacks, sitting eighth all-time in NFL history. Along with the 139 sacks, Suggs won two Super Bowls — one with the Ravens in 2011 and one with the Chiefs in 2019 — and also won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2011.

He was also a seven-time Pro Bowler, had two All-Pros in his career and won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003. While he was hated among Steelers fans during the height of the Steelers-Ravens rivalry for his play style and the comments he’d make throughout the year and about Roethlisberger in his career.

But despite that, there’s a great deal of mutual respect between Roethlisberger and Suggs. The Ravens’ linebacker previously called Roethlisberger his most underrated quarterback, and added that he was so hard to sack, which brings to mind the incredible play Roethlisberger made against Suggs on an incompletion.

It’s a shame Suggs wasn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He certainly had the resume to be one. But he’ll get in eventually, and it would be quite fitting if he went in with Ben Roethlisberger in the Class of 2027. That would be quite the weekend in Canton.