After suffering a broken nose on Sunday night against the Ravens and having it surgically repaired on Monday, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be wearing a clear plastic shield to protect the area, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The broken nose occurred when Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata struck Roethlisberger in the face while trying to sack him. Ngata was fined $15,000 for the infraction, but a roughing-the-passer penalty was not called.
Frankly, we’re not sure that a clear plastic shield will provide much more protection than a visor in his facemask.
Besides, it’s just a nose. He already has broken it. If he breaks it again, they can fix it again. We’re not sure that the risk of another punch to the proboscis justifies the usage of equipment that could inhibit his performance.
And if there’s some serious injury that could occur if he is hit there again, then he should take a week off to let it heal.
No big deal, they’re playing the Bungles this week.
Ben could wear a blindfold and a bucket and still win.
so he’s gonna be out there looking like rip hamilton??? just get a damn visor and let it be. if he gets hit in the face again, what’s that shield gonna do? is this why you guys call him a drama queen? if so, i’ll agree…a little…in just this case…cue the “he’s gonna wear it to rape women” comedians….they’re so original.
He should have worn something similar in his little motorcycle incident.
“Frankly, we’re not sure that a clear plastic shield will provide much more protection than a visor in his facemask.”
Uhh, that’s what a clear plastic shield is… a visor in his facemask. You know they aren’t always tinted? It’s early, I get it. But Tomlinson says as much.
Nose schmose, get out there and earn your paycheck boy.
WOW Mike 2 days late since it was first reported . Things that slow around the office ? Why the hate as well ? He is allowed to wear it while injured why miss time if he doesnt have too ?
He should have to wear that plastic face mask when he goes out to clubs too.
Really…take a week off…it’s only the Bungles you’re playing!
I think every woman in the organization would be smart to start wearing one of these…
http://www.antirape.co.za/
Thanks for the old story all the other sports news site broke this on Monday . But then again who says this is a sports news site!!!
Really Florio??? Of course he’s gonna wear a protective shield. The refs won’t protect him… His name is not Brady or Manning. You are grasping at straws with this article. I get it… Ben stories get you mad hits… A better article would have been one describing how they fix the nose injury that he has. That story is on the Post-Gazette page. It was kind of graphic.
PFT now has a sports medicine degree… thank you for providing sound medical advice.
I hope more teams will seek your advice… since its likely coming from your bosses at NFL.
Cue Connie!
face mask sounds like there might have been some damage to facial bones in addition to the broken beak.
Oh, and let’s not forget, Ngata was fined for the result, not the action… this is the most disturbing part of the whole fine process
He’ll look like Hannibal Lecter…
(much to the embarrassment of Hannibal Lecter)
Well if Florio is not sure this is adequate, what more can be said. Good lord.
He should have been wearing something plastic in the college bars, that way, he doesn’t leave behind any DNA.
Shouldn’t they just go to the full Hannibal Lector mask – then everyone will be safer. It might even be an improvement on Ben’s “Mr. Potato Head” appearance.
cuz broken bones heal in a week.
really I am not sure florio has been covering football for too long as he seems to not know how long certain injuries take to heal….
u dont even need to be a doctor to know bones 3 weeks…..
guess times for hamstring…. groin?
u should be able to spit it out instantly if u been in this industry as long as u have been.
course dont mention it was an illegal hit that wasnt called….. OH EM GEE if it were bradia
whynotusecommonsense says:
Dec 8, 2010 8:56 AM
“Frankly, we’re not sure that a clear plastic shield will provide much more protection than a visor in his facemask.”
Uhh, that’s what a clear plastic shield is… a visor in his facemask. You know they aren’t always tinted? It’s early, I get it. But Tomlinson says as much.
————————————————
No they mean the shields like basketball players wear after a broken nose, not a shield on the facemask. Some players QBs especially cannot play with full shields, as they sometimes create weird light glares. I had to wear one, as a running back, after an eye injury and I can give my personal reference to that effect.
Also, to my knowledge, this is only for practice, not the game…
jimmy1smith says:
Dec 8, 2010 9:19 AM
He should have been wearing something plastic in the college bars, that way, he doesn’t leave behind any DNA.
______
He didn’t leave behind any DNA in the GA case. That’s part of the reason there was no case- there was no evidence that he did anything wrong.
The media ran wild with the story nevertheless, taking the sorority sisters’ inconsistent stories and presenting them as the truth.
I got the massage post gazette is delivered to my door i dont have to read it hear
Now he needs a protector on his junk
the one on his nose may be an improvement on his ugly face there you had to get me started and i was trying to be nice for christmas from pgh to where ever you all live did you hear me cheer when ben got hit in the face twice got to love it
shotgunformation5wide—ha ha ha. Connie’s been missing for a while now. As a raven’s fan, he probably got arrested after the game on Sunday and spent the night in central booking. Considering how much he “loves” Ben, I’m sure Connie really enjoyed spending the night with a bunch of men.
Florio, if you truly did read any of the articles on the Post Gazette, you would have known he’s wearing the shield during the week for practices. They are saying he more than likely won’t wear it on game day. Also, becasue of the type of break he had, it will take 3 months before it fully heals.
and you comment that “if there’s some serious injury that could occur if he is hit there again, then he should take a week off to let it heal” is idiotic. He played with his broken nose in the game and apparently a broken foot (according to you) so why would he not play Sunday? Deny it as much as you want, but the guy is tough.
Admit it, you don’t want him to play because you want to write an article on him being a drama queen.
cup1981 says:
Dec 8, 2010 9:34 AM
No they mean the shields like basketball players wear after a broken nose, not a shield on the facemask. Some players QBs especially cannot play with full shields, as they sometimes create weird light glares. I had to wear one, as a running back, after an eye injury and I can give my personal reference to that effect.
Also, to my knowledge, this is only for practice, not the game…
————————————-
In his press conference Tomlin clearly states that Ben will wear a plastic shield on his helmet. You can hear for yourself starting at around the 1:35 mark here:
http://www.steelers.com/video-and-audio/videos/Mike-Tomlin—Week-14—December-7th-/d5b05e61-ce79-40ed-84b1-818b62679349
What’s up connie-lingus—
Is he going to wear a plastic crotch shield to protect rape victims from his crank.
connie73 says: Dec 8, 2010 9:46 AM
WTF did you just say?
My gibberish translator isn’t working…
Lineman’s facemask + shield + dirt = good to go.
I think Big Ben’s a dirtbag, but at least he won’t be grabbing his nose or foot after an incompletion like a certain pseudo-wounded warrior QB is want to do.
Anyone else notice the scrolling news at the bottom of NFLN this week says Roethlisberger suffered a broken nose on a play that “Haloti Gnata” was fined for?
I’m sure “Gnata” loves that.
All young women in the same area as him should be wearing plastic shields around their bodies.
There’s a rapist on the loose.
Im impressed, didnt know Florio was also an expert on football equipment. Florio doesnt believe Ben should use something that might,,,might,,hurt his performance. Florio, u ever had a broken nose that looks like a door stop ? Experience boy,,experience.
“Don’t worry, it’s a guaranteed W against the Bengals”.
Yes, Steelers and your fans- I think you should relax coming into this game. No reason to try- victory is guaranteed. Hell, this will be so easy Ben won’t even need a helmet, let alone some bizarre face contraption that’ll make him look even more retarded than he already is (wait- is that even possible?)
The point I’m making is that this is a trap game, if I ever saw one. I hope the Steelers show up with a lazy “We’ve got this one” attitude.
Couldn’t they just duct tape an athletic cup over his big bulbous shnoz?
Now give him a locked steel jockstrap and maybe all the young girls will be safe.
I hope Ngata’s fine is paid for by the National Organization of Women.
Seriously though what has the NFL come to? 15k for his hand hitting Ben’s facemask? The way his hand hit, there’s no way his helmet should’ve moved that much. I think Ben’s broken nose is because Ben doesn’t wear his helmet tight enough. Not because some D lineman swatted at his head in trying to knock the ball out.
This Surgery is probably a ploy to enhance his facial features… He couldnt get a sober woman to say yes when he looked like Will Ferral…20 bucks says he comes outta the tunnel looking like Tom Cruise! Its the only to get a woman NOT to say no to this slimeball!
YES – trickbunny, this is a HUGE trap game! Lets recap their prior 3 game trend along with the prior meeting of these 2 on MNF (Nov 8).
First, penalty trend. Ref have flagged Steelers 33 times for 330 yards = 11 call per game avg. with 110 yards per game field position (Yikes) Second, last game this season. Refs flagged Steelers for 7 penalties at 70+ yards. NFL itself admitted 2 calls made were ‘wrong’ – but those 2 calls led to a C. Benson TD that put Bengals right back into game. Third, it took the Steelers till the 4th Quarter on a 4th down play to finally stop Bengals from potentially winning MNF game Fourth, the Bengals are still a Division opponent. This game is huge. Fifth, Steelers might have beat Ravens – BUT last time I checked there are still 4 games till the end of the season and the Division title is still UP for grabs. Just Saying ….. Sixth, Steelers would do well to attempt to keep pace with Patriots, Jets, & Chiefs so they can assure themselves of a bye and home playoff game.
Does anyone know if his nose is even real anymore? Didn’t he pretty much destroy his face in that motorcycle accident, and his face had to be rebuilt by a plastic surgeon. The “cartilage” in his nose that was broken in the last game was probably really some kind of surgical plastic material that replaced his original destroyed cartilage. Well the plastic broke, so what. The doctor probably just gives him a new plastic insert for his nose and he’s good to go, right?
The call you Dr. Florio, right?
Motivation = Steelers WIN and a few other factors fall into place, they will secure at least a playoff berth. THAT should be motivation enough not take the Bengals lightly and assume just because they step on the field they win.
And as I read in Cincinnati paper (online) 7 of the Bengals 9 losses have been by fewer than 8 points. This Bengal team is hungry to try and trip up somebody. If the Bengals had one xmas wish to win one out of it’s last four games, they would give anything to wish to beat the Steelers.
Steeler trainers are getting tired of all the equipment adjustments. First they had to enlarge the left earholes on Ben’s helmets so he could breathe properly through his previous nose. Now, with the latest change in topography, they have to go do the same on the other side of the helmets.
“just a nose”, Florio? Like W.C. Fields had “just a nose”. Cyrano de Bergerac had “just a nose”.
When you were a kid, did Mama tell you “PeeeNOOCHeeeo he has just a nose, bambino”.
the appendage between his eyes is similar to Michael Jackson’s in that it’s hand crafted.
After face planting riding his motorcycle, they had to reconstruct his face, hence his new nickname Garbage Pail Ben. So that “nose” can break with a hard sneeze or in this case a good ole fashioned head slap.
The plastic face shield is useless.
It is a “Visor”
http://www.wpxi.com/sports/26067257/detail.html
But but if he doesn’t wear it then nobody will ask him about his injury and the announcers won’t keep talking incessantly about it and and and and the cameras won’t keep showing it on the tv…
of course he’s gonna wear it – duh- to paraphrase Rahm Emanuel, Ben’s not one to let a good injury go to waste.
Mike, you lil pot-stirrer you LOL
You omitted the part of the announcement where they said his nose apparatus will inhibit his play. I’m sure it will all work out fine. And would you want to break your nose twice in two weeks. Geez, you’re awfully free and easy volunteering other people to break body parts LOL
@mswravens …
Yeah … I think those are the guys who overcame a big deficit in the fourth to almost ruin our night last time LOL
The officials continue to be inconsistent with each other and the league office.
Check out Ben’s account of his exchange with Referee Terry McAuley:
“I just asked him if he saw the blood…I just asked him if he thought that he went for my head.”
“His response was, ‘He was just trying to tackle you.’ So I just let it go at that.”
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10342/1109184-66.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml
Deb – a little tongue in cheek…hoping for anything that might get us a Steelers loss!