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Ben Roethlisberger has “no doubt” Andrew Luck will play

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Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is in the concussion protocol. His team plays in two days.

That raises real doubts about whether he’ll be cleared to face the Steelers. But at least one person expects to see Luck on Thanksgiving night.

“There is no doubt in my mind that he is going to play,” Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told reporters on Tuesday. “I will tell him, and this has nothing to do with football, but just to be smart. The brain is nothing to mess with. He is young and has a long career ahead of himself.”

So why is Roethlisberger so sure he’ll see Luck?

“There is no doubt, and like I said, I mean it with all sincerity to him to be very serious and take it seriously because the brain is one thing you can’t mess with,” Roethlisberger said. “I just know that he is a tough competitor, it’s Thursday night, it’s at their place and it’s Thanksgiving. I anticipate him playing and you have to because he is one of the best in the game. You have to prepare for him to play. If he is smart and if he does say that he doesn’t feel ready to go out there, then there will be no knock on him coming from me by any imagination.”

Roethlisberger’s comments seem to overlook the fact that, ultimately, Luck won’t have any say in whether he’s cleared to play. Indeed, Roethlisberger seems to think that the call ultimately is made by the player.

“[Y]ou can rub dirt on a lot of things, but you can’t rub dirt on the brain so you have to be smart with that,” Roethlisberger said. “When you play this game long enough you are bound to have injuries because it is a violent sport.”

Of course, the player has some say when it comes to whether he’ll play with a concussion — because he can conceal the concussion.

“[T]here were many times that I haven’t told anybody that I had been dinged or had a concussion,” Roethlisberger said. “Looking back on it I wish I wouldn’t have. You have to be smart when it comes to your brain because you only play football for such a short period of your life. When you have a family and people that you are going to be with for the long-term, you have to really make sure your health is taken care of.”

Last year, Roethlisberger told doctors about concussion symptoms during a game, even though no one had noticed that he was having any issues. Several years ago, he disclosed the existence of headaches prior to a Sunday night game against the Ravens — a move that drew criticism from former teammate Hines Ward.

Regardless of Roethlisberger’s views about Luck or Roethlisberger’s experiences from earlier in his career, Luck can’t play unless team doctors and an independent neurologist clear him.

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42 Responses to “Ben Roethlisberger has “no doubt” Andrew Luck will play”
  1. Mike Tomlin says: Nov 22, 2016 12:40 PM

    Haha oh god here we go…

  2. spreadems says: Nov 22, 2016 12:43 PM

    Well apparently Ben didn’t read the PFT Power Rankings. According to that, Luck isn’t playing.

    Get with the times Ben!

  3. 345snarkavenue says: Nov 22, 2016 12:48 PM

    if anyone would know, it would be Roethembellisher

  4. learysdisciples says: Nov 22, 2016 12:49 PM

    Calling Dr. Moe, Dr. Larry, Dr. Curly.

  5. 12444uggg says: Nov 22, 2016 12:54 PM

    Luck is a smart guy, he’s not going to risk his mental health for one game. Rumor is he’s going to be out a while. Sucks but, long term thinking is important.

  6. psubeerman21 says: Nov 22, 2016 12:54 PM

    Actually, I can rub dirt on my brain, due to that accident with the machete. When I do rub dirt into my brain I usually believe its 1989 for a few days, or go into convulsions.

  7. getyourownname says: Nov 22, 2016 12:59 PM

    Translation:

    “My brain is pretty scrambled, although that may not be entirely due to football, and I thought everyone exaggerates injuries?”

  8. rob471773 says: Nov 22, 2016 1:02 PM

    No one in the history of sports loves telling you how tough he is more than obese Ben.

    Roethlisberger is chronically injured because he’s about 40 pounds overweight, holds onto the ball forever and refuses to throw it away or concede a sack.

    Every year this tubby slob gets hurt and then proceeds to tell everyone how hurt he is and how he’s not at 100% but how he’s gonna tough it out for the team because he’s such a tough guy gamer.

    Steelers fans and most of the media lap this drama queen garbage up every year.

    Rather than getting hurt, embellishing and then bragging about your faux-toughness how about you start eating right and working out more so you don’t get hurt in the first place.

  9. dirtdawg54 says: Nov 22, 2016 1:02 PM

    Unlike a sprained ankle, you can’t just “tough it out” with a concussion. To say he expects him to be out there because of how big the game is only serves to reinforce pre-existing biases towards putting players in harm’s way.

    Ben should simply say he hopes to see him out there and leave it at that.

  10. rjwalnuts says: Nov 22, 2016 1:03 PM

    Just reading his comments gave me a concussion.

  11. weepingjebus says: Nov 22, 2016 1:05 PM

    Luck has a decent chance of playing, since the Colts concussion protocol consists of spinning around with your head on the end of a bat and then trying to run in a straight line.

  12. curtj5 says: Nov 22, 2016 1:18 PM

    You know whats also smart, not raping women

  13. steelcurtainn says: Nov 22, 2016 1:25 PM

    He’s not playing. Steelers roll.

  14. jm91rs says: Nov 22, 2016 1:38 PM

    Ben seems to think every QB follows the “tell the media I’ll be out for x number of days, divide that by 4 and that’s when I’ll really be back. I’ll look so tough”

  15. Nofoolnodrool says: Nov 22, 2016 1:40 PM

    rob471773 | Nov 22, 2016, 1:02 PM EST
    No one in the history of sports loves telling you how tough he is more than obese Ben.

    Roethlisberger is chronically injured because he’s about 40 pounds overweight, holds onto the ball forever and refuses to throw it away or concede a sack.

    Every year this tubby slob gets hurt and then proceeds to tell everyone how hurt he is and how he’s not at 100% but how he’s gonna tough it out for the team because he’s such a tough guy gamer.

    Steelers fans and most of the media lap this drama queen garbage up every year.

    Rather than getting hurt, embellishing and then bragging about your faux-toughness how about you start eating right and working out more so you don’t get hurt in the first place.

    Wow another keyboard tough guy troll whose last major injury was a paper cut from opening his second bag of Doritos for breakfast. I think Ben is much tougher than you, but most importantly far richer from his proven success on the field. It’s ok tough guy jealousy is a trait common in the physically weak.

  16. mysterytonite says: Nov 22, 2016 1:56 PM

    rob471773 says:
    Nov 22, 2016 1:02 PM

    No one in the history of sports loves telling you how tough he is more than obese Ben.

    Roethlisberger is chronically injured because he’s about 40 pounds overweight, holds onto the ball forever and refuses to throw it away or concede a sack.

    Every year this tubby slob gets hurt and then proceeds to tell everyone how hurt he is and how he’s not at 100% but how he’s gonna tough it out for the team because he’s such a tough guy gamer.

    Steelers fans and most of the media lap this drama queen garbage up every year.

    Rather than getting hurt, embellishing and then bragging about your faux-toughness how about you start eating right and working out more so you don’t get hurt in the first place.

    This is the greatest post in the history of this website. It should be framed and hung on a wall like the Declaration of Independence. Truer words have never been typed on this site. Bravo!!

    Also,why is he saying he knows he’s going to be out there but to be smart? Either Ben is saying: I know your faking and are going to play or If you are hurt and trying to downplay the injury to play, be smart. At this point Ben’s brains are probably in his belly like a lot of other things.

  17. clashpoint says: Nov 22, 2016 2:22 PM

    Meh Ben’s just being politically correct. No bulletin board material, trying to be as uncontroversial as possible, very complimentary and extremely boring. Besides, I bet he and Luck go golfing together in the off-season with Brady anyways.

  18. gerard33 says: Nov 22, 2016 2:25 PM

    Is he trying to get into Luck’s head?

  19. maestro1899 says: Nov 22, 2016 2:27 PM

    If Grigson and/or Pagano let Luck play 96 hours after a concussion, they both deserve to be fired. This would be worse than not putting a proper oline around him, which is why they got into this mess in the first place!

  20. kemp13 says: Nov 22, 2016 2:33 PM

    Sounds like old Ben has taken a few too many shots to his own head.

  21. Nofoolnodrool says: Nov 22, 2016 2:34 PM

    This is the greatest post in the history of this website. It should be framed and hung on a wall like the Declaration of Independence. Truer words have never been typed on this site. Bravo!!

    Actually its far from great rather it reflects the dumbing down of America as the ones who can’t try to bring down the ones who can with their jealous comments. You Einsteins have no clue about what you speak never having signed a $100 million contract yet you think you can speak for either Luck or Big Ben. Stick to your couch and bowl of Doritos Chauncey.

  22. fsstnotch says: Nov 22, 2016 2:34 PM

    Luck will play… count on it

  23. Nofoolnodrool says: Nov 22, 2016 2:48 PM

    Nofoolnodrool says:
    Nov 22, 2016 2:34 PM
    This is the greatest post in the history of this website. It should be framed and hung on a wall like the Declaration of Independence. Truer words have never been typed on this site. Bravo!!

    Actually its far from great rather it reflects the dumbing down of America as the ones who can’t try to bring down the ones who can with their jealous comments. You Einsteins have no clue about what you speak never having signed a $100 million contract yet you think you can speak for either Luck or Big Ben. Stick to your couch and bowl of Doritos Chauncey.

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  24. bert1913 says: Nov 22, 2016 2:53 PM

    Just by looking at Ben you can tell that he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, when he opens his mouth that confirms it.

  25. 345snarkavenue says: Nov 22, 2016 2:56 PM

    Maybe Ben can let Luck borrow his 4G ‘wristband’ for sideline usage.

  26. sammievee says: Nov 22, 2016 3:16 PM

    This is absurd. Luck will NOT play. The sports books don’t put up lines based on “maybe” and visiting Pitt betters are lined up laying 9 points as I type this.

  27. 345snarkavenue says: Nov 22, 2016 3:42 PM

    Does this even need further commentary?

    Nofoolnodrool says:
    Nov 22, 2016 2:48 PM

    Nofoolnodrool says:
    Nov 22, 2016 2:34 PM
    This is the greatest post in the history of this website. It should be framed and hung on a wall like the Declaration of Independence. Truer words have never been typed on this site. Bravo!!

    Actually its far from great rather it reflects the dumbing down of America as the ones who can’t try to bring down the ones who can with their jealous comments. You Einsteins have no clue about what you speak never having signed a $100 million contract yet you think you can speak for either Luck or Big Ben. Stick to your couch and bowl of Doritos Chauncey.

  28. bannedfromchoirpractice says: Nov 22, 2016 4:15 PM

    Ben’s just parroting stuff his read on pft. Don’t take him seriously.

  29. Nofoolnodrool says: Nov 22, 2016 4:18 PM

    Does this even need further commentary?

    You don’t seem real sure for a troll….grab some more Doritos and think about it.

  30. 345snarkavenue says: Nov 22, 2016 4:29 PM

    rhetorical question: (noun) a question asked solely to produce an effect or to make an assertion and not to elicit a reply

  31. chippys lost binky says: Nov 22, 2016 4:44 PM

    345snarkavenue says:
    Nov 22, 2016 3:42 PM
    Does this even need further commentary?
    +++++++++++++

    Not really. Dude has forgotten more about jealous hate than any normal person could ever understand. The Doritos obsession just moves it too a whole new level of incomprehensibility.

  32. bcmcknight77 says: Nov 22, 2016 5:00 PM

    “[Y]ou can rub dirt on a lot of things, but you can’t rub dirt on the brain so you have to be smart with that,” Roethlisberger said.

    This is far and away my new favorite quote ever from one of the dumbest bag of rocks to ever line up behind center.

  33. bigbluedeadhead says: Nov 22, 2016 5:01 PM

    A dumb stump

  34. Nofoolnodrool says: Nov 22, 2016 5:07 PM

    chippys lost binky says:
    Nov 22, 2016 4:44 PM
    345snarkavenue says:
    Nov 22, 2016 3:42 PM
    Does this even need further commentary?
    +++++++++++++

    Not really. Dude has forgotten more about jealous hate than any normal person could ever understand. The Doritos obsession just moves it too a whole new level of incomprehensibility.

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    Report comment

    Binky and Snark like two moths to a flame. Brothers in trolling bonded at the butt with nary a brain between the two. Careful you are about to bite the bait again.

  35. littleseizures says: Nov 22, 2016 5:55 PM

    Ben is brilliant. He’s playing mind games with all of you.

  36. sariff420 says: Nov 22, 2016 6:12 PM

    Its not a concussion. Just protocol

  37. 345snarkavenue says: Nov 22, 2016 6:19 PM

    Binky and Snark like two moths to a flame. Brothers in trolling bonded at the butt with nary a brain between the two. Careful you are about to bite the bait again.

    ——–

    Spoken like a true master baiter

  38. williamshatnerstoupee says: Nov 22, 2016 6:52 PM

    The same tired posts from the same tired people. Intelligence is at a low.

  39. Nofoolnodrool says: Nov 22, 2016 7:06 PM

    williamshatnerstoupee says:
    Nov 22, 2016 6:52 PM
    The same tired posts from the same tired people. Intelligence is at a low.

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    Report comment

    You need to be original…..at least if want to contribute to the low intelligence.

  40. williamshatnerstoupee says: Nov 22, 2016 8:39 PM

    I am on your side, my friend.

  41. rekroot says: Nov 22, 2016 9:40 PM

    Luck better play. He plays his best when he has that concussed look. Once Colts are down by two scores, Luck rolls one up, his jaw goes slack, eyes glaze, and Luck takes over. I’m calling it right now. Colts 38 Steelers 35. End of first half Steelers 28 Colts 14. Luck will have his best game of the year. 500 yard passing, 4 PaTd and 1 RuTd. 40 yard rushing. First half 100 yards passing.

  42. dimi1919 says: Nov 22, 2016 10:22 PM

    The defence has given up 100 points to the steelers the last two games. They need to fix that first and foremost

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