Ben Roethlisberger Played Super Bowl With Broken Ribs

Ben Roethlisberger was playing with broken ribs when he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a victory at Super Bowl XLIII, Peter King of SI.com is reporting.

Roethlisberger's ribs were the subject of much speculation during Super Bowl week, with Pro Football Talk reporting that the ribs had been X-rayed and the Steelers refusing to confirm or deny. King reports that those X-rays actually didn't pick up on the small rib fractures, but that they were diagnosed when he got an MRI in Pittsburgh last week.

Roethlisberger didn't look particularly affected by the rib injury during the game. On what turned out to be the last play of the Steelers' first drive he didn't hesitate to stick his head down and try to get into the end zone, and throughout the game he passed well, even when the Cardinals' pressure forced him to throw on the move. He was accurate throughout and finished the game completing 21 of 30 passes for 256 yards.

Here's what Roethlisberger told King:

"Fractured ribs. Luckily, in the game, I didn't take any big hits to make 'em hurt. But I knew all along there was something wrong. There wouldn't have been anything they could have done about fractured ribs anyway. It was just suck it up and play.''

Still, the odd secrecy shown by the Steelers in the week leading up to the game indicates that they were at least concerned about it. Rather than simply answering questions about whether Roethlisberger had been X-rayed, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin just said that he didn't know where the report came from. As it turned out, the ribs were hurt, but Roethlisberger was just fine.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

2-09-2009 @ 1:47PM

chilco said...

and once again the "Legend" Big Ben shows just why he is a LEGEND. 35 seconds to glory!!! Pittsburgh proud.

2-09-2009 @ 2:00PM

Ted said...

why has nothing more been said about harrison hitting the cardinals player when he was down ?

2-09-2009 @ 11:42PM

bobbytox said...

The reason Harrison wasnt ejected is because the dude he attacked tried to take out Harrisons knees and then he punched him in the package and thats why Harrisons actions were so severe but as usual its the guy that retaliates that gets caught.

2-09-2009 @ 2:03PM

steel wheel said...

And I know exactly the shot he took that caused it. Jim Leonhard hit him late in the back and nothing was called. But unlike a pathetic Ravens fan I'm not gonna whine about it and call for a bounty. I'm just gonna hoist up 6 fingers deal with the fact that it's all part of the game.

2-09-2009 @ 2:05PM

Steel Wheel said...

2-09-2009 @ 2:14PM

Baldueza Family said...

Harrison should of been kicked out of the game for that. It was unacceptable behavior. Why did they not do anything except take yardage. He should be punished for his tirade!!! Fined and then suspended. Completely unacceptable!!!!!

2-09-2009 @ 2:41PM

steelerallstar4 said...

If you saw that hit then "undoubtedly" you also witnessed the numerous "illegal" hits YOUR "dirty bird" players made against our Steeler players...but no, I guess you wouldn't have seen all the "low" hits, or the late hits, now would you, naw, I guess not...I guess the Steelers are the "only" team that YOU people ever see making "illegal" plays...much like everyone not knowing about the Patriots, but the Patriots,huh?

2-09-2009 @ 3:17PM

crzymoe68 said...

If they showed the line play on every punt, you would see a ton of things like Harrison did. If the Steelers had lost none of you would have been saying anything about it.

2-09-2009 @ 3:42PM

red white & you said...

Fun game to watch. But im wondering how the hell Flo Adams made the Pro bowl? This guy looked sooo bad yesterday. I don't think he can bend at the waist. Looked to me he should have had at least 5 false starts against him but i know the refs were not being petty. After all here is the player that LED the league in penalties and yet he makes it to the Pro Bowl....The game has passed him by.

2-09-2009 @ 3:58PM

hi dory said...

thank God big ben's ok...and he didn't get himself injured further!....it was a FABULOUS, yet nail-biting game...and YAY, THE STEELERS GOT NUMBER SIX!!!!i live in arizona, so wearing my black and gold and twirling our terrible towel wasn't looked upon favorably...to say the least...but, my husband and i were raised in "the burgh"...and we still bleed black and gold....so....let's hope ben stays off motorcycles, and heals completely...so we can go for "sevensburgh" next year!

2-09-2009 @ 4:23PM

Jim said...

Hey Ted

The Cardinals player went for Harrisons knees after the ball was gone. Harrison got a penalty for what he did. I played football for 34 years and only got two personal fouls during that time, both because assholes tried to take out my knees after the play was past. Cheap shots at someone's knees by assholes need to be dealt with at the moment or they will do it again.

The Ravens player lead with his helmet into Big Ben's back two steps after the ball was gone. NO PENALTY CALLED. I thought Ben was done when I saw him in the tunnel after that play. He made it happen. Go Steelers!!!

2-09-2009 @ 4:25PM

Steve said...

Even though I hate to give Pittsburgh credit, but Harrison hit the offensive player because he went after Harrisons' knees and they take that stuff serious.

2-09-2009 @ 4:33PM

RICKNVA57 said...

Roethlisberger and Pit had every thing they needed with the NFL in there pocket. With that moron in Indy retireing they need another black coach to make it look like they knew what they were doing. The NFL protects the Cowboys, PIT NY.G, and Donovan McNabb. Any team that wins the SB in the next few years will have a black coach or QB, the NFL will see to that. And no I'm not racest, Ithink Pat White is the best QB to come along in a long time, but McNabb should not start on the worst tean in football.

2-09-2009 @ 5:01PM

SweetStuff said...

STEELERS WON!!! IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON!!!

2-09-2009 @ 5:02PM

joel johnson said...

What is the big deal? Back in the 60's Bart Starr played half a season with several broken ribs. Mind you, this is befor the days of intercostal nerve blocks (the needle) or fancy rib pads. Back then, men were men and you played hurt and no one made a big thing of it. Oh, by the way, the defense did hit just as hard (ever heard of Dick Butkis) and there were no sissy boy rules to protect the quarterback! Give me a break.

2-09-2009 @ 5:48PM

mlou67 said...

Broken ribs? Couldn't happen to anyone more deserving. The whole team is dirty. Particularly Hines Ward, cheap shot artist of the year.

2-09-2009 @ 7:08PM

Jon said...

Note to Jim and Steve...spot on with your comments..if anyone would have watched Harrison the whole game, one would have seen that the only way the Cardinals could handle Harrison was to go at his knees and frankly, I think Harrison had enough of being a nice guy....and to you mlou67...the whole team is dirty? Kind of a hasty generalization wouldn't you say...and yeah, Hines Ward...cheap shot artist? do you watch football or just like to mouth off...are you from Baltimore or Seattle crybaby?

2-09-2009 @ 8:12PM

kms9116 said...

I got to give them stoolers credit.

2-09-2009 @ 9:00PM

steph3221 said...

They could not trust byron

2-09-2009 @ 9:58PM

pluggy64 said...

If anything Ben does'nt get enough credit for the O-line that he had to perform behind and got beaten up behind.. These are gonna be good men someday but here we go.
OT- Max Starks backup to injured Marvel Smith
LG Chris Keomoto or however its spelt- 1st year starter replacing Alan Fanaca
C- Justin Hartwig 1st year starter for Steelers after being castaway by Carolina
RG- Darnell Stapleton Backup for Kendell Simmons 2nd year in league
RT- Willie Colon- 2nd year starter who normally played on the left side
Im amazed that Ben is even walking today. No disrespect to these men but an O-line needs experience together. These men overachieved and did the best they could. Still Big Ben made it happen. He should have been MVP especially since Eli go it last year under better circumstances