Steelers' Roethlisberger loses arrogance

PITTSBURGH - The new, comedic Big Ben debuted his Super Bowl material.

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers went back to work Wednesday after two days off following a 24-19 victory over the Jets in the AFC Championship Game.

This is a familiar routine for the six-time champion Steelers, who are in the Super Bowl for the third time in six seasons. They'll face the Packers at Cowboys Stadium on Feb. 6. But it's a slightly different Roethlisberger, and not because he's trying to become only the fifth quarterback to win three Super Bowls.

No matter how much he downplays it, Roethlisberger overcame quite a bit of adversity this year to get to this point. Maybe that's why it seems he's enjoying it a little more than his first two Super Bowl trips.

Roethlisberger cracked jokes, smiled a lot and poked fun at an out-of-state reporter who referred to jerseys as "sweaters" during a brief media session.

Asked about facing Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews, Roethlisberger said, "He's got long hair, he wears No. 52, he plays for the Packers."

Anything else?

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"He's an animal. He's really, really good," he said. "We have to account for him and know where he's at. There's not much else to say about one of the best players in the game."

When someone asked Roethlisberger if he was grateful to be here, he couldn't resist.

"That's a silly question," he said. "This is the Super Bowl. It's what you dream of as a kid. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity just to represent the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh."

Then a guy must have confused Roethlisberger with Penguins star Sidney Crosby. The quarterback didn't miss taking a slap shot.

"Sweater? Are you a Canadian guy? You said sweater. That's hockey. We put jerseys on," Roethlisberger said, drawing a loud roar.

Roethlisberger, 28, wasn't always so quotable, so cooperative, so accessible. He's a different person now, though. Circumstances made him change. His image needed an overhaul.

Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Roethlisberger for four games to start the season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. He was accused in March of sexual assault of a 20-year-old college student, but a Georgia prosecutor declined to bring charges.

Roethlisberger didn't talk to reporters for months after those allegations, but he showed up at training camp with a new and improved personality. Gone was the self-absorbed Roethlisberger who had irritated veteran teammates with a "what's in it for me?'' attitude.

He wasn't rude, he signed autographs, he kidded other players and became media-friendly. So much so that the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association voted overwhelmingly to present him with a media cooperation award.

"He's matured a whole lot," said receiver Antwaan Randle El, who returned to the Steelers after four years in Washington. "And that's evident from the first Super Bowl he played in to the one he played in '08. A very different quarterback - more confidence, I would say.

"He's light years from where he was when he went to the Super Bowl the first time."