Ben Roethlisberger could learn a thing or two from Darian Stewart

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In the mid-2000’s, veteran quarterback Tommy Maddox took first-round pick Ben Roethlisberger under his wing despite fully knowing the rookie was going to take his job one day.

Just weeks into Roethlisberger’s first season under Maddox, the young gun did just that, taking the starting job right out from under Maddox’s feet after the vet suffered an injury. Big Ben never looked back, yet still had Maddox’s support as he sat in a backup role.

In 2010, amidst significantly different circumstances, seasoned veteran safeties Oshiomogho Atogwe and James Butler took undrafted safety Darian Stewart under their wing in an attempt to teach the young safety enough so he could make it in the league.

Less than one year later, Stewart’s emergence played a part in the Rams moving on from one of his mentors, Atogwe.

In their own unique ways, the mentorships from the veteran players paid significant dividends for the then-young players. Big Ben is riding a Hall-of-Fame career path with two Super Bowl rings, and Stewart went from facing incredibly difficult odds of even making a roster his rookie season to a fruitful eight-year career in the NFL, including one Lombardi Trophy and a Pro-Bowl nod.

This offseason, both players were put in a similar situation to each other — a situation not too unfamiliar to one they saw with themselves at the beginning of their career.

Just over a month ago — March 28 to be exact — the Denver Broncos acquired former-second-round pick safety Su’a Cravens in a trade with the Washington Redskins.

At the end of April, The Steelers drafted quarterback Mason Rudolph in the third-round.

Both Rudolph and Cravens are widely viewed as Roethlisberger and Stewart’s eventual replacements, respectively, whether that be in a year or further down the road.

However, both successful veterans took a very diffident approach in their response and attitude moving forward.

Stewart followed the path set for him by Atogwe and Butler back in St. Louis in 2010, while Roethlisberger took a much different approach, which immediately drew an incredible amount of criticism.

“If he asks me a question, I might just have to point to the playbook,” Roethlisberger said to 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh on Friday when talking about if he’ll mentor the rookie quarterback.

On Tuesday, meeting the media for the first time since the Broncos traded for the talented young safety, Stewart had his own take on how he deals with younger players.

“If you want to win, you’re going to help your young guys,” Stewart said, as if wondering if there were even any other options. “That’s how I look at it, and I’m always willing to help any way I can with those guys and give them any information I can. It doesn’t do me any good just holding things back. We don’t get better as a team. Me helping them as best as I can, along with the coaches, is going to make us that much better.”

What was even more impressive about the 29-year old’s attitude was what he said before being asked about this specifically.

When talking about Cravens as a person and a player — not about his own role with helping Cravens develop — Stewart said unprompted: “For me, as a leader, it’s important for me to help bring him along. I’m willing to do that, and he’s willing to learn.”

While Ben — with a few more years under his belt than Stewart — questioned the Steelers’ move of drafting his potential replacement, all Stewart did on a sunny Tuesday afternoon was continue to sing the praises of young Su’a.

“I think he’s going to bring a lot of energy. He’s still young. He has great energy, and he seems like a smart football player,” Stewart said, being the same positive teammate he’s been in his three years with the Broncos. “He’s going to be helpful. I think that was a good addition for the secondary.”

With the odds stacked against him as a rookie, Stewart understood just how important Atogwe and Butler’s roles were in him making it on the Rams’ roster his first year in the league.

Eight years later, Stewart hasn’t forgotten about the principles that got him to where he is now — something everyone in life, specifically Big Ben, can learn from.

“Those guys took me under their wing as a young Safety, and I’m paying it back.”