Roethlisberger admits to past addictions to alcohol, pornography

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently shared details about personal battles he's had off the field.

Speaking during a virtual Christian conference on Father's Day, Roethlisberger admitted to struggling with addiction.

"It's not always easy. People don't realize all the time that us athletes, we're human. We sin like everybody else," Roethlisberger said, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "I am no different. We make mistakes. We get addicted to things. We sin. We're human. I think sometimes we get put on this pedestal where we can't make mistakes. I've fallen as short as anybody. I've been addicted to alcohol. I've been addicted to pornography, which makes me then not the best husband, not the best father, not the best Christian I can be."

Roethlisberger said he's trying to be a better Christian and that he was baptized three years ago, though he was also baptized as a child.

"Now more than ever, it's cool to be a Christian, especially professional athletes," he said. "One of the things I want to tell guys and tell people out there, I can be a really good athlete and a Christian. It's not one or the other. I can do both."

Roethlisberger won Super Bowls with the Steelers in 2005 and 2008. He was suspended for the first four games of the 2010 season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. He was accused of sexually assaulting a college student that March. He was also accused of sexual assault in July 2009.

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