Listed at 6 feet, 5 inches and 241 pounds, Ben Roethlisberger is a difficult quarterback to sack.
The Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller also thinks officials have used his size against him.
Roethlisberger said he worries that officials allow opposing pass rushers to hit him illegally or after the play because he is a big target who is also mobile.
"I think that might be what it is," Roethlisberger said during a conference call with Baltimore media Tuesday. "I don't know if that is the reason, but that's what I guess I'll look at it as because I'm not going to complain or argue about it."In back-to-back games against AFC North Rivals, Roethlisberger had his nose broken by Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata on Dec. 5 and then was struck in the back of the helmet by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson the week after.
Several Steelers players complained that Roethlisberger is not getting the same treatment that peers like the New England Patriots' Tom Brady or the Indianapols Colts' Peyton Manning or accustomed to getting.
Roethlisberger conceded that the lack of protection from officials can be frustrating.
"But what can I do about it? I'm not going to sit there and cry and complain and gripe about it," he said. "I'm going to go out and play the game of football and play through it."
