It’s always great to see former players praise and have high hopes for the next generation of athletes. It can motivate young players and boost their confidence.
Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward recently had some high praise for current Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt.
Hines Ward Sees Shades of Big Ben in Sam Leavitt
Arizona State had a strong 11-3 season in 2024. The Sun Devils made it to the College Football Playoffs and put up a tough fight against the Texas Longhorns, eventually falling 39-31 in double overtime.
“He had that same look that Ben Roethlisberger had … We will not fail with Sam in that huddle.”
Hines Ward discusses how ASU QB Sam Leavitt has the same drive & competitiveness that the Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger showed in his Hall of Fame career. pic.twitter.com/r7rwZtb9Rp
— Brad Denny (@BDenny29) March 7, 2025
Leavitt played a huge role in the Sun Devils’ impressive season. In 2024, he completed 216 of 350 passes (61.7%) for 2,885 yards, with 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a passer rating of 150.2. At the end of the season, Leavitt was named the highest-graded freshman at any position by PFF and also earned Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors.
Ward, who is now the Sun Devils’ wide receivers coach, sees great potential in Leavitt and even sees shades of his former quarterback in him.
“As a coach on the sideline, I can tell you, when there’s a TV timeout and we’re all on the sideline, Sam has that look in his eyes, like, ‘We will not be stopped. We’re going to score,’” Ward said about Leavitt. “He wants to score each and every time he touches a football. And he had that same look that Ben Roethlisberger had. Anytime I looked at Ben and his eyes, I just knew we were going to win the game because he had that look. He was not going to be denied of us winning. So I see a little bit of Ben in Sam in that aspect, just watching him and his approach because he’s very competitive.”
“He wants to make every play instead of throwing it out of bounds,” Ward added. “Ben had that same struggle. He just wanted to make every play, he wanted to make sure he can try to do all that he can to make the play. Sam has those intangibles.”
MORE: RB Cam Skattebo Hypes Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt
With Ward’s guidance and Leavitt’s natural talent, the Sun Devils’ future looks bright. If Leavitt continues to develop, he has the potential to lead Arizona State to even greater success in the seasons to come.
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