When I was young, my grandfather would prop me on his knee, and tell me about the glory days of Terry Bradshaw and his Pittsburgh Steelers. Many years from now, I hope to do the same when I talk about what it was like to watch Ben Roethlisberger.

Big Ben was already a Pittsburgh sports legend prior to Saturday night, but his performance against the Bengals, operating a 74-yard, game-winning drive with a separated shoulder, puts him in rarefied air, as one of the grittiest, gutsiest players to ever play the game.

While this season was arguably the most injury-ridden season of his career, it may have also been Roethlisberger's most inspiring campaign to date. In Week 10, playing with a foot injury suffered a week earlier against the Raiders, Big Ben threw for 379 yards in a win over the Browns. He then engineered a three-game winning streak, which included stellar performances against the Colts, Bengals and Broncos. And in Week 17, needing a win to have a chance at the playoffs, he threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-12 win in Cleveland.

Big Ben did all of this despite leading an offense that was without two All-Pros and it's starting left tackle for most of the season. But while he has elevated his play with the loss of each of his talented teammates, the one thing that might dwarf Roethlisberger's on-field ability is his leadership, as Big Ben continues to motivate his younger teammates to believe that they can join him as a Super Bowl champion.

While Roethlisberger's recent challenge to Martavis Bryant has garnered much more attention, another example of Big Ben's leadership is with regard to left tackle Alejandro Villanueva. A military veteran that served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, Villanueva is a true American hero that obviously knows what being a great leader is all about. It's been interesting to see how his relationship has evolved with Roethlisberger, who offered nothing but support of his young linemen after Villanueva took over the job at starting left tackle after Kelvin Beachum was lost for the season back in Week 6. That support has certainly been appreciated by Villanueva, who is always among the first of Pittsburgh's players to help Roethlisberger up after a sack, and is also one of the first to celebrate with his quarterback after a touchdown.

While things looked bleak for the Steelers on Saturday night, you got that feeling that it was the Bengals fans that knew something would go wrong for their team when No.7 re-entered the game. Cincinnati fans had seen this movie too many times before, as Big Ben has time and time again snatched victory away from their Bengals over the years, while getting a win for the hated Steelers. It was a movie they had to re-live once again, as Big Big drove yet another stake into the heart of one of Pittsburgh's rivals. On Saturday night, Roethlisberger rose to the occasion once again, as he continues to etch his place among the game's all-time quarterbacks.

One day, Ben Roethlisberger will not be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. While that will surely be a somber day for Steelers fans, it's important to celebrate and appreciate the career of Big Ben, a Pittsburgh icon that deserves all the praise and accolades that are showered on him today, tomorrow, and when he joins Bradshaw in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.