Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (/ˈrɒθlɪsbɜːrɡər/; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Miami (OH) and was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Known for playing outside the passing pocket in what he calls "backyard football", Roethlisberger grew up idolizing John Elway and has often been compared to him, wearing number 7 in his honor.