Big Ben, Whisenhunt make amends

By Scott Brown, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Friday, January 30, 2009

TAMPA, Fla. — Away from the spectacle of Super Bowl media day earlier this week, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger talked face-to-face with Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.

And he apologized to the former Steelers offensive coordinator.

Roethlisberger lashed out after comments Whisenhunt made two years ago, shortly after the latter had taken the head coaching job in Arizona. Whisenhunt said he thought the trauma Roethlisberger had experienced before the 2006 season affected his play.

"At the time, I was hurt by it and was just immature about the whole situation," Roethlisberger said Thursday. "I know that he wasn't trying to say anything negative about me. He was just trying to make a statement. I know that now."

Roethlisberger was in a serious motorcycle accident in June 2006. He underwent an emergency appendectomy before the start of the 2006 season and was knocked out of a game in October with a concussion.

Whisenhunt had said Roethlisberger never looked comfortable in the pocket that season.

Roethlisberger said he reacted to seemingly innocuous comments the way he did because he still was dealing with Whisenhunt leaving the Steelers.

Whisenhunt had been the Steelers' offensive coordinator in Roethlisberger's first three NFL seasons.

"I told him 'You know what? I almost felt abandoned,' " Roethlisberger said. "After you're in the league a couple of years and you know it's a business and you know coaches leave and they do what's best for themselves and their family. When you come from high school and college, you don't really experience that."

Roethlisberger and Whisenhunt said at the beginning of the week that no rift existed between them.

Of Tuesday's chat at Raymond James Stadium, Roethlisberger said, "I was just glad I got a chance to talk to him in person."