Roethlisberger's No. 7 is the top selling jersey in the NFL Store. Local stores can't keep his T-shirt on their shelves, and he has an attorney protecting his interests against those trying to cash in by selling unlicensed, counterfeit products. David Letterman had him as a guest. There have been inquiries about movie cameos and music video appearances, and Roethlisberger has gotten calls from apparel makers and watch band manufacturers. Who wouldn't want a Big Ben wristwatch?
No one has been more astonished than Steinberg, who has represented such big name quarterbacks as Troy Aikman and Steve Young in his firmament of clients. "Clearly, we have a national phenomenon rolling here," Steinberg said. "The first year is supposed to be a year of misadventure for a rookie quarterback. No one has been this successful this fast. It defies the laws of gravity."
