Ben Roethlisberger doesn't think Terry Bradshaw wants him to win four championships

There's a natural rivalry that must exist between former and current quarterbacks when both have had success for the same team.

Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw fit that mold, having won two and four Super Bowl championships respectively between them.

But does the former quarterback not want the current quarterback to win?

Roethlisberger, speaking on Jim Rome on Showtime, suggests that's the case.

In a transcript from the show:

JIM ROME: Players talk about a goal in mind (Super Bowl victories). What was your goal?

BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Well I know that anyone who has played quarterback knows that four is the number that (Terry) Bradshaw and (Joe) Montana have. Bradshaw's the greatest Steeler quarterback so I would like to try to get five championships, one more than him.

JIM ROME: Do you think Bradshaw's pulling for you to get four championships?

BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I'm not sure; you'd have to ask him. I'm sure he wouldn't want me to get four championships, but if he's a true Steeler at heart then he would want this organization to win as many championships as possible.

Was he kidding around? Maybe. It's unclear whether Bradshaw, who has been critical of Roethlisberger in the past, actually feels this way, or whether he's a "true Steeler at heart." There's something to be said about Bradshaw's desire to remain the championship quarterback in town, particularly as Roethlisberger systematically rewrites Pittsburgh's passing record book. It seems ill-timed, however, considering neither would have anything substantial to gain from any kind of public beef, especially during the season.

So for now, we'll just assume he was playing around.