Roethlisberger upgraded; no damage to knees...WILL play season opener

Dante · Jun 13, 2006

Tuesday, June 13, 2006
By Anita Srikameswaran and Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A doctor at Mercy Hospital today said Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been upgraded to fair condition as he recovers from yesterday's motorcycle crash.
In addition, sources told the Post-Gazette today that Roethlisberger should be ready to play the season opener Sept. 7 against the Miami Dolphins.
Dr. Larry Jones, in a late afternoon briefing at Mercy, said the quarterback could be released in three to five days. His vital signs are stable and a brain scan shows normal functioning.
Jones said Roethlisberger suffered the following injuries when his motorcyle collided with a car on second avenue near the 10th Street Bridge yesterday morning:
Broken upper and lower jaw;
Mild concussion;
Fractured nose;
Multiple head cuts and bumps and bruises;
Two lost teeth;
Several other chipped teeth.
Jones said there is no evidence of any major structural damage to the quarterback's knees, which contradicts some news reports.
Roethlisberger has been moved out of the recovery room and is spending time with friends and family. He is in fair condition, which is an improvement over the serious but stable condition of yesterday and earlier today. He underwent seven hours of surgery yesterday to repair his facial bone breaks.
Jones would not take questions from reporters, at the family's request.
One source said that the surgery on Roethlisberger's face took so long in order to assist in a faster recovery time. Roethlisberger also should be ready to participate in training camp, although he may not play in the first preseason game Aug. 12 in Arizona.

what a LUCKY MF!!! :dancefool

Amsterdam · Jun 13, 2006

Yes, it could have been much worse. Hopefully he'll have a speedy recovery and wear a helmet from now on. Or, better yet, stop riding altogether!

Dante · Jun 13, 2006

Amsterdam said:
Yes, it could have been much worse. Hopefully he'll have a speedy recovery and wear a helmet from now on. Or, better yet, stop riding altogether!

AMS...you are SO right....I mean that would have been the END of pitt if he went out with a career ending injury

juice · Jun 13, 2006

it will take him at least 3 games to recover and get back in game shape I think. He won't have any contact during training camp or pre-season, coming back to full speed game play after a broken jaw and not taking any hits.... what's the steelers opening game line?

-Slim- · Jun 13, 2006

theres still a long time to go from now till the opener. u know for him to try skydiving, or scuba diving with killer whales or even better, riding around a bike with no helmet on....

Journeyman · Jun 13, 2006

Didn't even have a drivers license...glad he will be fine.

randyrohm · Jun 13, 2006

This will surely be the last straw. No more pro team atletes under contract riding motorcycles.

TTinCO · Jun 14, 2006

He's still an absolute idiot, and it's going to cost him millions(one way or another).

Dante · Jun 14, 2006

juice said:
it will take him at least 3 games to recover and get back in game shape I think. He won't have any contact during training camp or pre-season, coming back to full speed game play after a broken jaw and not taking any hits.... what's the steelers opening game line?

Juice I disagree....there is the Preseason for that ...he will be Ready will be like nothing ever happened

jeffksu · Jun 14, 2006

glad to hear the news..good luck with your steelers this year dante..my man...:thumbsup2:

charleslanger · Jun 14, 2006

quote: .......Two lost teeth;
Several other chipped teeth........

Now he can be hilbilly ben...may be a blessing in disguise-- may get hired to host / present @ the next CMA awards. I bet his agent is already working on this non-stop.

Dante · Jun 14, 2006

jeffksu said:
glad to hear the news..good luck with your steelers this year dante..my man...:thumbsup2:

thanks JEFF Hope all is well with you

Puccini · Jun 14, 2006

His jaw is wired shut and he's going to be on a liquid diet for a while, so he'll lose weight and muscle.

He's probably not going to be in game-shape by the seasoner opener.

Dante · Jun 14, 2006

Puccini said:
His jaw is wired shut and he's going to be on a liquid diet for a while, so he'll lose weight and muscle.

He's probably not going to be in game-shape by the seasoner opener.

are you serious...are you saying because he is on liquid Diet for only 1 week he wont be in game shape 2.5 months from now? :icon_conf

CaptainCarl · Jun 14, 2006

It would be great if he was ready for the season opener, but I have a feeling he won't. I think they will have to evaluate the damage to his skull, before he even practices.

PokerKingJim · Jun 14, 2006

He could afford to lose a few lbs anyway

D2bets · Jun 14, 2006

Yes, he is VERY LUCKY. And hey, now he can laugh off any hit he takes on the field as it will pale in comparison to flying 20 feet in the air and landing face first into a windshield.

But if he even so much as looks at a bike until he retires then I'd feel no sympathy if he got flattened.

Puccini · Jun 14, 2006

Dante said:
are you serious...are you saying because he is on liquid Diet for only 1 week he wont be in game shape 2.5 months from now?

From what I'm hearing, he's going to be idle for at least 8 weeks.

This from a team trainer: "Eight weeks could be three months, depending on the extent of the injuries. If he's got a fractured eye socket (as one Pittsburgh television station reported) and a broken nose and jaw, that's serious pain for a sustained period. [Players] with broken jaws can lose weight and strength, too. Then you wonder about the mental side of it. How is he going to feel? There are a lot of different things [to deal with]."

Dante · Jun 14, 2006

Puccini said:
From what I'm hearing, he's going to be idle for at least 8 weeks.

This from a team trainer: "Eight weeks could be three months, depending on the extent of the injuries. If he's got a fractured eye socket (as one Pittsburgh television station reported) and a broken nose and jaw, that's serious pain for a sustained period. [Players] with broken jaws can lose weight and strength, too. Then you wonder about the mental side of it. How is he going to feel? There are a lot of different things [to deal with]."

you have some good points....But I have to think he will be game shape for ame 1 of the regular season ...maybe not preseason