Pa. Sponsor Drops Roethlisberger from Beef Jerky

A Pittsburgh company that markets food products endorsed by local sports stars has dropped its beef jerky sponsorship deal with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

PLB Sports president Ty Ballou says Roethlisberger is "falling short" of the company's standards, even though a Georgia prosecutor announced Monday he will not prosecute the quarterback over a rape allegation.

The company said in a statement that facts presented at the prosecutor's news conference led to the decision.

The company sold "Big Ben's Beef Jerky" in bags depicting the quarterback at Pittsburgh-area Giant Eagle supermarkets and GetGo convenience stores.

The same company markets a breakfast cereal endorsed by Steelers receiver Hines Ward and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Max Talbot.

Meanwhile, one day after a district attorney in Georgia announced that no charges were going to be filed against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, an attorney in Boston claims a similar scenario was brought to his attention within the last six months, reports CBS station KDKA.

During a radio interview with WEEI in Boston, attorney Harry Manion talked about a case involving Roethlisberger at a Las Vegas nightclub that he claimed had the same outcome as the one in Georgia.

"Six months ago I was retained by a client of mine and a close friend to investigate allegations against Ben Roethlisberger in a Las Vegas nightclub that were absolutely identical to this Georgia girl's story," Manion told WEEI.