Steelers' Cameron Heyward not pleased with Ben Roethlisberger's 'coddled' remarks: 'Rubbed me the wrong way'

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Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has ruffled the feathers of old teammates over his "coddled" comments, including captain Cameron Heyward, who said the remarks "rub me the wrong way." 

Heyward, who’s been with the team since 2011, addressed Roethlisberger’s criticism on an episode of his podcast "Not Just Football" on Wednesday. He disagreed with Roethlisberger’s "me-first" evaluation and the apparent attack on a team he called home for nearly two decades. 

Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger celebrates with Cameron Heyward following a touchdown pass against the Washington Football Team at Heinz Field on Dec. 07, 2020, in Pittsburgh.  (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

"Man, they rubbed me the wrong way," Heyward said. "Ben is a Hall of Fame quarterback and he has played 18 years in our league, all with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I was a little bit upset about it because I was always raised to protect the locker room. Protect the guys … It looks as though we're looked at as selfish players, and I think that's not the point." 

STEELERS’ BEN ROETHLISBERGER TALKS PLAYOFF WOES, POINTS TO ‘CODDLED’ PLAYERS

In a wide-ranging interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week, Roethlisberger expressed frustration over his final years with the Steelers and seemed to point to a shift in team dynamics as a contributing factor in his playoff woes. 

"I feel like the game has changed. I feel like the people have changed in a sense. Maybe it’s because I got spoiled when I came in. The team was so important. It was all about the team. Now, it’s about me and this, that and the other," he explained. 

Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh