Ben Roethlisberger On Timetable For Return From Injury: 'I Don't Know'
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) - Speaking for the first time since suffering a sprained MCL and bone bruise against the St. Louis Rams, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger portrayed a bit of optimism despite what originally looked like a season-ending injury.
Roethlisberger met with the media in front of his locker on Tuesday, sporting crutches and a knee brace and said that he feels "a little sore" and is "disappointed" because he "wants to be out there with the guys" for their upcoming game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Roethlisberger talked about his immediate reaction when he took the hit from St. Louis Rams' safety Mark Barron.
"Initially, my knee, my leg, everything hurt," Roethlisberger said. "Eventually, my knee started to feel a little bit better relatively speaking. As I was going off the field, I told doc, 'I feel like my leg is broke.' It just felt really bad. That's when he said that was the bone bruise."
There has been much talk about the hit Barron put on Roethlisberger and if it was dirty. According to the rule book, it was an illegal hit, but Roethlisberger said he didn't think there was any intent to injure him.
"I don't think it was a dirty hit. I don't think he was trying to take me out, but according to the rules it was a low hit, so it maybe should have been flagged," he said.
Looking at how long it will take before he can get back on the field, Roethlisberger admitted they have yet to set a date.
"I don't know," Roethlisberger said about when he'd be back. "It's kind of one of those things where we're just going to have to take it week-by-week. I know I'm out this week and we'll reevaluate next week and just kind of go from there. There's no way to put a timetable on it ,I don't think."
Click the audio link below to hear more from Ben on his injury, Mike Vick starting in his place and why he's pleading with Mike Tomlin to let him be on the sidelines for Thursday night's game against the Ravens.