The Facts: Roethlisberger broke the ice with Mason Rudolph on Tuesday and ended the weeks-old narrative that he would give the rookie quarterback the cold shoulder. “I always have done that,” Roethlisberger said of helping young Steelers quarterbacks, and he did so during their first meeting Tuesday. “Obviously we’re in meetings and stuff and I tried to help him out with a couple of things I saw out there.”

Diehards Line: The Steelers were not looking to draft a quarterback this year but said they selected Rudolph from Oklahoma State in the third round because they had him rated with the other quarterbacks who were drafted in the first round by other teams, and the value was too good to pass on him. Roethlisberger, in an interview on 93.7 The Fan on May 10, expressed surprise they drafted a quarterback rather than pick someone who could help the team immediately. He has told the Steelers he believes he can play another 3-5 years. Big Ben now claims he was neve averse to helping the newcomer. “I’ve never been the type to just be rude or mean to other quarterbacks. You can ask [Landry} Jones," Roethlisberger said. "I’ve had a lot of quarterbacks through here who were younger than me that I’ve tried to help any way that I can, so I’ll continue to do that. ..." Sounds like this soap opera is over.