Life after Ben Roethlisberger has been challenging for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that’s understandable because finding franchise quarterbacks is no easy task. Roethlisberger provided the Steelers with nearly 20 years of top-tier play, leading them to two Super Bowl victories. That type of skill is hard to replace. However, Hines Ward, now the wide receivers coach at Arizona State University, believes Sam Leavitt has the same drive that Roethlisberger displayed.

“As a coach standing on the sideline, I can tell you, when we call a TV timeout and we’re all standing there, Sam has that look in his eyes like, ‘We will not be stopped. We’re going to score,’” Ward recently said on the Speak of the Devils podcast. “He’s determined to score every time he gets the ball.

“He has that same look that Ben Roethlisberger had. Whenever I looked at Ben, I just knew we were going to win because of that determination. He wasn’t going to let us lose. I see a bit of Ben in Sam’s mentality, just watching him in his approach because he’s incredibly competitive.”

That’s a major compliment from Ward. Roethlisberger will eventually be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In contrast, Leavitt, who became Arizona State’s starter only last year, still has much to prove. Roethlisberger’s ability to deliver in clutch moments was one of his defining qualities. He orchestrated several remarkable comebacks, including one in Super Bowl 43.

Leavitt’s journey is one to watch. As a redshirt sophomore, he has plenty of football left to play. Last season, he threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Though smaller than Roethlisberger, Ward isn’t making a direct comparison of their playing styles. Instead, he recognizes that same fierce competitive spirit in Leavitt that Roethlisberger displayed.

Perhaps, one day, Leavitt will show Steelers fans why Ward made this comparison. Roethlisberger led 53 game-winning drives in his career, something Pittsburgh has been missing since his retirement. With no clear long-term quarterback plan, the Steelers might find themselves in a position to draft Leavitt in the future.

It’s still a long way off. The hope is that Pittsburgh’s next franchise quarterback will have the same mindset Ward describes. If so, it could help them finally secure a playoff victory. Roethlisberger’s refusal to accept defeat was instrumental in his career. Time will tell if Leavitt exhibits that same trait, and if he does, a promising career awaits him.