Hines Ward said he didn’t throw Ben Roethlisberger under the bus last week. Maybe it wasn’t a bus that hit him, but Roethlisberger admitted Thursday that Ward’s comments hurt.
“He reached out to me and I told him I was just more hurt than anything,” Roethlisberger said. “You know, we got over it, moved past it and now we’re preparing.”
Roethlisberger was “shocked” when he learned he had to sit, but agrees with the decision in retrospect.
“They took what was my best interests in mind,’' Roethlisberger said. “A lot of people forget the accident that I had. [The doctors] remembered that. It was life threatening, I almost lost my life for an accident to my head and face and the five plates I have in my face right now.”
Big Ben has been called a drama queen before, but he makes a great point in reference to his motorcycle accident. The long-term effects of that crash have not been considered publicly regarding his safety in returning from his concussion.
Roethlisberger learned he was out last Saturday morning from coach Mike Tomlin.
“He basically pulled me in his office and told me. I was kind of in shock, upset, shock but respected what they said,” Roethlisberger said.
Roethlisberger has no headaches now and “feels great.” He is slated to start against the Raiders and will be given no more tests because he hasn’t had any headaches since last week.
That Roethlisberger was hurt by Ward’s comments makes Ward’s blame of Rodney Harrison for the controversy look sillier.
Roethlisberger interpreted the interview the same way that Harrison did.
(Okay, now this horse is really dead. Flogged. We think.)