Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season, but spent his entire lengthy career with the Steelers. Now, the former star quarterback is taking aim at his old team.
Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward caught wind of his former quarterback's criticism of the current state of the franchise.
Shortly after the Steelers' disappointing loss to the struggling New England Patriots, two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger recently raised concerns over whether the organization's storied traditions were eroding.
Roethlisberger also took aim at coaching and leadership. He also openly questioned which players on the roster would set the proper tone for the team.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Heyward, a six-time Pro Bowler, recently appeared on the NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" and responded to Roethlisberger's sharp criticism.
"Ben has an opinion. He’s entitled to that, but I don’t agree," Heyward said. "We lost these last two games, been rough, but the Steelers way is about grinding it out, and it doesn’t matter what’s going on. There’s plenty to be done about it, and tradition starts by winning games, having good defense and scoring points."
The Steelers' 2023 season has been somewhat of a roller coaster.
After being stagnant on the offensive side of the ball for most of the season, the team made a rare in-season coaching change. Last month, longtime head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that offensive coordinator Matt Canada had been fired.
Pittsburgh has also dealt with its share of injuries, including recent setbacks for quarterback Kenny Pickett and star pass rusher T.J. Watt.
The Indianapolis Colts host the Steelers this Saturday.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
