Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he is day to day with a "sore" shoulder after undergoing an MRI Sunday, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In an interview with Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday he added that the diagnosis was a sprained AC joint and some torn ligaments in his right shoulder.
Ben Roethlisberger says he’s day to day with ‘sore’ shoulder
Roethlisberger’s Steelers will play the Broncos in the Divisional round of the playoffs.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
“It’s definitely sore,” Roethlisberger said. “I think it’s a little bit better than it was, but we’re still going to just take it day-by-day.
“I’ll go in tomorrow with the intent to see what I can do,” Roethlisberger said. “I honestly don’t know. I haven’t tried to throw a football since the game, and maybe that’s not even the right thing to do right away. I’ll see the doctors and trainers tomorrow, we’ll evaluate kind of how I feel.”
"Ben has a chance," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference. "We'll manage him day-to-day."
The injury occurred during the third quarter of the Wild Card tilt against the Cincinnati Bengals. Roethlisberger was carted off the field after a sack from linebacker Vontaze Burfict. He sat out for three series before getting inserted back into the game for Pittsburgh's game-winning drive.
“I do not think it was a dirty hit,” Roethlisberger said. “I think he was playing the game... I know that there is some video of him supposedly kneeing me, or kicking me, or whatever, but I don’t think there was anything intentional.”
Roethlisberger did note, though, that while being carted to the locker room he was hit by trash thrown at him by Bengals fans.
Roethlisberger is crucial to the Steelers' chances of advancing to the AFC Championship. He missed four games this season with a sprained MCL and the Steelers went 2-2 in his absence with Michael Vick and Landry Jones splitting time under center. Jones relieved Roethlisberger Saturday night, going 2 of 5 for 11 yards and throwing an interception late in the game.
It’s been a sensational year for Roethlisberger, who led the league with 328.2 passing yards per game this season. The Steelers had the third-best passing offense in the NFL in 2015.
Pittsburgh beat the Broncos when these teams matched up Dec. 20, largely thanks to Roethlisberger's stellar performance. He threw for 380 yards and three touchdown passes while outscoring Brock Osweiler and the Broncos 21-0 in the second half.
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