Mike Tomlin: Decision to honor Ben Roethlisberger is teaching moment for young Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger saved his best for last against the Baltimore Ravens, and his play in the fourth quarter didn’t go unnoticed by coach Mike Tomlin.

Roethlisberger completed 9 of 10 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to 17 points in the fourth quarter Sunday in their 20-19 victory that kept their playoff chances afloat.

It was a display of determination that Tomlin has seen countless times from his 39-year-old quarterback, particularly against the Ravens. Roethlisberger has conducted seven of his 39 career fourth-quarter comebacks and 10 of his 51 game-winning drives at the Ravens’ expense.

Which made it an easy decision for Tomlin to reward Roethlisberger, who is expected to retire at the end of the season, with a game ball.

“I’ve been in a lot of circumstances like that with him, and he usually does what he did last night,” Tomlin said Monday at his weekly press conference. “And not only that, but he relishes those opportunities.”

Entering the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger had pedestrian numbers: 12 completions in 21 attempts for 107 yards and no touchdowns for the Steelers, who were trailing 10-3.

Running some no-huddle offense at times, Roethlisberger led the Steelers on a pair of drives that ended with Diontae Johnson touchdown receptions, including one with 1 minute, 48 seconds left that gave the Steelers their first lead. Mixed in was a drive that ended with a Chris Boswell 43-yard field goal.

Tomlin saw the decision to give the game ball to Roethlisberger as a teaching moment for an offense that, even including the quarterback, is the youngest in the NFL.

“You want to educate young players, too,” Tomlin said. “I’m sure Ben’s got a lot of game balls at the house, but it was also a point to be made to the young players — what’s desired and expected. Our young players get an opportunity to learn a lot from guys like Ben and Cam (Heyward), not only in terms of how they conduct themselves and the things that they say, but how they perform and how they perform in those thick moments. You get to be Ben, you get to be Cam for a reason, because of your ability and your willingness to consistently rise up in those moments and deliver.”