Big Ben: Don't blame Justin Bieber

PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger said there was ample blame to go around after reviewing film of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 20-13 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.

But the veteran quarterback laughed off talk that the curse of Justin Bieber had anything to do with the deflating loss.

Bieber visited a Steelers worship service the night before the game, and a handful of players posted pictures on social media of themselves posing with the pop star.

Former Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw told TMZ that he wouldn't have allowed Bieber into the gathering and that "outsiders" were rarely allowed into services with the Steelers when he played for the team.

But times have changed, Roethlisberger said on his weekly radio show.

"That's not a big deal at all," Roethlisberger said on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. "For instance, [former Steelers wide receiver] Plaxico Burress stopped by. Obviously he's family, but people stop by all of the time and say, 'Hi,' and we've had other athletes, actors, celebrities, stuff like that stop by. It's not a big deal at all."

Roethlisberger said he did not meet Bieber because he had been eating dinner before the Steelers' quarterbacks meeting. He said that Bieber attended the worship service because the person leading it is also mentoring Bieber.

Backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was among the Steelers players who posted photos of themselves with Bieber.

Roethlisberger said Gradkowski heard plenty about that from him.

"His response to me was, 'He's got like 30 million followers and I'm trying to get some of them,'" Roethlisberger said with a laugh. "It was all fun for him and the guys. [Bieber] is one of the more popular guys for good or for bad in the country, so they had a chance to say hello and they did."