Roethlisberger out with potentially life-threatening rib injury By Alan Robinson Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 10:30 a.m. Updated: Wednesday, November 14, 2012
One of Ben Roethlisberger’s first questions upon learning about his rare combination of injuries was asking how long it normally takes to recover.
His doctor’s answer? No idea because there is nothing normal about them.
Roethlisberger, whose steady playmaking is largely responsible for the Steelers’ 6-3 record, has a dislocated rib that could be life-threatening if he were to play, plus an upper-chest injury that is significant in itself.
“From what (the doctor) said, he’s trying to talk to experts because there’s no case study that’s had this exact same thing,” said Roethlisberger, who is being treated by Steelers orthopedist Jim Bradley, among others. “From what he told me, it was a 1998 rugby player or something (who had this). We’re just trying to talk to people and get an expectation because we don’t know.”
Roethlisberger was upbeat but a bit weary — he slept uneasily in a chair for only a few hours the previous two nights — while talking to reporters Wednesday about the injuries that will keep him out of one and possibly both Steelers-Ravens showdowns in the next three weeks.
Roethlisberger said he dislocated his top rib — the first rib — that protects the aorta, the largest artery in the body, while being driven to the turf Monday night by Chiefs linebackers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali. He immediately knew something was wrong, saying he heard “a crunch and a crack.”
If the rib had punctured the aorta, it could have been dangerous.
Crazy injury. This could seriously hurt the Squeelers chance at the division, let alone the playoffs. They play Baltimore 2 times in 3 weeks and I doubt BB will be in the lineup either time.
Source: Big Ben likely out 3 weeks Updated: November 19, 2012, 12:00 AM ET By Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter | ESPN
Pittsburgh Steelers doctors are hopeful, though hardly optimistic, that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be able to return from his rib and shoulder injuries Dec. 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Steelers doctors believe Roethlisberger will miss three weeks, though the team has not abandoned hope that he may miss only two games and be able to return for the rematch against the Ravens.
Roethlisberger was ruled out of Sunday night's game against the Ravens and is not expected to play next Sunday at Cleveland.
Though Roethlisberger said the injury to his first rib on his right side threatened his aorta, a source said doctors believe the greater threat is to the surrounding arteries, vessels and soft tissue.
Roethlisberger was in as much pain Friday as he was Monday, a source said, and the timetable for his return is somewhat unpredictable. The injury is rare and needs to heal itself -- there's no treatment or procedure that can fix it quicker.
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