Ben to stay in Pittsburgh during suspension

The Steelers franchise QB is going to stay as close as he can to the team while he has to sit and watch the club play football without him.

Ben Roethlisberger says he will stay in Pittsburgh and work out with quarterbacks coach George Whitfield Jr. He also told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he may do some coaching at the high school level.

He told the plans today to the Tribune-Review in a one-on-one interview.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be a discussion, it’s going to be a question and answer or (Goodell) just does all of the talking,” Roethlisberger said. “I think there are probably a lot of things I could tell him but I want to make sure that we have the right answers and the truth and the things we think will be beneficial.”

He will work out with the California-based Whitfield, who he has worked with the past couple offseasons, and also may workout with wide outs that have been released by NFL teams.

“I am going to be doing a lot of drills, a lot of drops,” Roethlisberger said. “I will do everything humanly possible that I can do to stay as sharp as I can with the things I am allowed to do.”

Roethlisberger said that he isn’t shocked that the city hasn’t accepted him yet as their golden boy, but that he’s working hard to try and build that image as a good guy and team leader.

“I’ve known from day one this is not going to be an overnight process. You’re not going to win people back overnight. You’re not going to win all of them back period. I wish I could but it’s just not going to happen. But like I said my actions will speak volumes over the next days, weeks, months and years. I really believe that and I think people will (believe in his transformation), even the hard-headed ones that won’t give me a chance. Over the years of seeing me and seeing that it’s not just talk, more people will come around.”

He also talked about a closer walk with the Lord, and said that has made him a happier person overall. “It’s a calming feeling when the Lord runs your life. And it’s something I’ve always known as a church person, but I’ve never really believed it. I think I’ve known it but never believed it. And now I know it, and it’s a great thing.”