Super Bowl 2011: Ben Roethlisberger's Return To Glory

Ben Roethlisberger already has two Super Bowl rings, but winning Super Bowl XLV would surely be the sweetest one for Big Ben.

After an offseason filled with sexual assault accusations and a four-game suspension, Big Ben has more to prove than any other player in this game.

During the weeks leading up to the NFL draft last year, there were rumors that Ben Roethlisberger was on the trading block for a first-round pick. Luckily for the Steelers, no one offered that pick.

Big Ben sat and watched the first four games this season from his home as Charlie Batch led his team to a 3-1 record. Roethlisberger was able to keep up with Batch's pace, as he went 9-3 as a starter in the regular season. Since then, Ben has continued his playoff dominance, going 2-0 so far this postseason.

After the offseason that Big Ben endured, it is quite impressive that he was able to return to Pittsburgh and lie low for most of the season. By Week 7 or 8 people were only talking about Roethlisberger's contributions on the football field. There were some minor references to Ben's off the field issues after that, but for the most part the media was over the accusations. 

Ben stated during his press conference this week, "When you find challenges in life, you look for ways to overcome them." Ben has overcome those challenges on the football field, and the expectation of the Steelers front office is that he will overcome those challenges off the field as well.

Ben also stated, "People say I can't be a better person. It makes me want to rise to the occasion." People hope that he will grow up and act like a 28-year-old instead of a 19-year-old.

Big Ben, like Kobe Bryant, has to reshape his image following off the field issues. Kobe and Ben faced similar accusations. While Kobe Bryant had to appear in court a bit more than Ben, they were both considered among the best in the game. Kobe has been able to do that, and with a Super Bowl this year, maybe people will slowly forget about Roethlisberger's sexual assault accusations as well.

Walking off the field as the Super Bowl champion would be the sweetest feeling for Ben and for an organization that gave him a second chance. 

Everybody deserves a second chance in life because everyone makes mistakes. Ben has shown that he can be successful on the football field in his second chance, but whether that success carries over into his personal life remains to be seen. 

It may take a Pittsburgh fan to root for Big Ben in the Super Bowl on Sunday, but it doesn't take a Steelers fan to root for a guy to turn his life around for the better.

Good luck Ben.