PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger's physical reset has his Steelers teammates excited.
Roethlisberger, who slimmed down in the offseason thanks to cutting down carbs and sugars, has been a fixture in the weight room over the past month, wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said.
"I think it's good for us and teammates to see him going the extra mile," Heyward-Bey said.
"We see him in the weight room more than often. That just gets us pumped up that he's putting himself and his health first, so we're going to do the same and meet him on the field."
It's not that Roethlisberger didn't work out before, but teammates have seen him pumping iron more frequently these days.
Roethlisberger has said he rededicated himself in part to alleviate joint pain after multiple knee injuries since 2015.
"I've seen guys say, 'Oh, Ben's getting that extra work in,'" Heyward-Bey said. "I need to make sure I'm on top of my stuff, so I think it's a positive thing. I'm like, OK, he's [36] and working, I need to get in there."
Roethlisberger, who did not have a concussion after taking a fall in a practice last week, is likely to get snaps in Saturday's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field. Coach Mike Tomlin called Roethlisberger's training cap performance "awesome," and asked about setting a tone in Year 15, Roethlisberger said the "general feeling of my body" contributed to those efforts.
"I think it felt great. My arm feels stronger than it ever has," Roethlisberger said. "I think that's always the key, after practice how many times do I put ice on my body? I think only one time in camp, so that's a good sign."
Roethlisberger is eyeing his third Super Bowl and also enters a de facto contract year. His deal expires in 2020, and the team has expressed interest in doing one more deal. Roethlisberger, who threw for 4,251 yards, 28 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last year, is eager to retake the field.
"I hope I don't get hit but it's always good to knock that rust off at some point," Roethlisberger said.