 Charlie Frye knows he will always be compared with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He can only hope that his career takes a similar path. "He’s the starting quarterback in the Super Bowl," said Frye, who became starter for the Cleveland Browns late in his rookie season. "That’s obviously a dream that I had when I was a kid. I want to play in the Super Bowl." Frye is used to the Roethlisberger comparisons. "We’ve been compared to each other ever since high school," Frye said. "We grew up an hour away from each other (Frye in Willard, Roethisberger in Findlay). It’s been that way since we were 18 years old." They left their rural Ohio hometowns to play in the Mid-American Conference — Frye at Akron, Roethlisberger at Miami — and were drafted a year apart by AFC North rivals Pittsburgh and Cleveland. But the similarities end there. Roethlisberger has the Steelers in the Super Bowl in just his second season. Frye, after starting five games, still has to prove he can lead the Browns’ offense. While not promising a trip to the Super Bowl next season, Frye said he can be as successful as Roethlisberger. "I believe in myself that I can go out and do the same things," Frye said. "He’s doing a great job of managing the game. He’s going out there, and when he has an opportunity to make a big play, he’s making it."
Frye went 2-3 as a starter after taking over for Trent Dilfer but didn’t win coach Romeo Crennel’s endorsement to be the starter next season. Crennel has said there will be an open competition during training camp. Frye will prepare this offseason as if he will be the starter. "I played pretty good in the last five games," Frye said. "I’m only going to get better. The rookie quarterback that you saw this year, you won’t see that guy next year." |
