The Pittsburgh Steelers landed QB Ben Roethlisberger in the 2004 NFL Draft — and the foundation that brought two Lombardi Trophies back to the city. But things could have played out very differently had the Cleveland Browns drafted their hometown prospect. It could have put the Steelers on a collision course with Aaron Rodgers in the 2005 NFL Draft the following year.
“We really thought [Eli] Manning would go to the Giants. We thought the Browns would take Ben,” former Steelers personnel exec Doug Whaley said Wednesday via 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show. “We didn’t think San Diego was gonna take a quarterback because they had Drew Brees.