Ben Roethlisberger Wants Increased Snaps Against Detroit Lions

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wants to play as many snaps as possible against the Detroit Lions.

The Steelers are installing a brand new offense, and the 39-year-old veteran quarterback has yet to play in the preseason to get more acclimated to the new pace the coaching staff is wanting to establish.

"I would love to get as many reps as I can," Roethlisberger said via the Associated Press. "It's been how many months since I stepped on a football field to take a hit or play any meaningful type of reps. With the newness of it, I definitely want to get as much as I can."

Head coach Mike Tomlin has yet to reveal how many snaps his starting quarterback will receive in the second preseason game.

Tomlin noted this week, "If he was in the same system of offense that he'd been in, he probably wouldn't play. We've taken that approach in the past. But we think it's good for him to get in the stadium, and communicate with Matt (Canada), and do some of the things that the quarterback has to do from a dry run perspective before we step into the regular season."

Matt Canada, the Steelers offensive coordinator, is hoping to up the tempo of the offense and is implementing staples of his offense such as pre-snap motions and jet sweeps.

"There's a lot of newness, and I think it's prudent to get as much time in as I can under those circumstances," Roethlisberger said.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters earlier this week a select handful of his veterans will most likely not suit up and play, including Jared Goff, D'Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson.

The Lions will play on the road to face the Steelers at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 21.

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