Roethlisberger injures foot or ankle
August 20, 2009
LATROBE, Pa. (AP)—Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger(notes)injured his right ankle or foot during the last half-hour of the team’s finaltraining camp practice. It was not immediately certain how badly he was hurt orhow long he would be out.
Roethlisberger had an ice pack on the back of the ankle when he was cartedoff at the end of Thursday’s workout, with offensive coordinator Bruce Ariansaccompanying him. Roethlisberger didn’t talk to reporters, but he could beoverheard saying, “Oh it just feels great. It feels like a car ran over it.”
Coach Mike Tomlin declined to talk to reporters. Team spokesman Dave Lockettsaid only, “Someone stepped on his foot, and we don’t have any updates otherthan that.”
As the Steelers’ starting offense practiced against the starting defense,left tackle Max Starks(notes) couldn’t handle a rush from linebacker James Harrison(notes),the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Starks went down to one knee as hetripped Roethlisberger, who stayed on the turf for about 5 minutes.
After being treated by athletic trainer John Norwig, Roethlisberger spentthe rest of practice sitting on a cooler. He was limping noticeably as hegingerly walked from the sideline to join the end-of-practice huddle atmidfield. He draped a towel over his head before leaving on the golf cart.
Normally, any player seriously injured during a Steelers practice is removedfrom the field immediately and is taken to a hospital—an indication thatRoethlisberger’s injury may be no more serious than a sprain. Starks suggestedsuch, saying, “My feet are fine. I don’t have a sprained ankle.”
Starks isn’t certain exactly how the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterbackwas hurt, but he didn’t hear any popping or tearing noises as Roethlisbergerwent down, sounds that might signal a serious injury.
“James Harrison was bull rushing … I’m not sure I knocked him into him(Roethlisberger) or what happened behind me. I was busy trying to block thedefensive MVP,” Starks said. “He got tripped up and fell down.”
Roethlisberger didn’t tell any teammates how he felt, though he could beheard saying, “I’ll be all right.”
“He didn’t want to talk about it now, but I’m sure he’ll address usupstairs,” Starks said.
The injury was only the second major mishap of the Steelers’ three-week-oldcamp—right guard Darnell Stapleton(notes) needed knee surgery less than a week intocamp. It brought an abrupt end to what might have been the best ofRoethlisberger’s six NFL training camps.
He has shown a strong, accurate arm for several weeks after having somesoreness for several days, causing Arians to say, “His arm’s really alive.”
Roethlisberger is certain not to play in the Steelers’ exhibition gameSaturday at Washington. The Super Bowl champion Steelers have two moreexhibition games after that before opening the season Sept. 10 againstTennessee.
The last time the Steelers were coming off a Super Bowl-winning season,2006, Roethlisberger sustained severe facial injuries during a motorcycle crashsix weeks before camp began, then missed the opener after undergoing anappendectomy.
The Steelers stage most nearly all of the practices on one of Saint VincentCollege’s three grass fields, but their second and final practice Thursday washeld on an artificial turf field because of rain earlier in the day. There wasno indication the turf contributed to the injury.
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