Face took most of crash's impact

ASSOCIATED PRESS

June 14, 2006

PITTSBURGH – Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger could be out of the hospital in a few days and appears likely to play this season after a bloody motorcycle accident in which his helmetless head shattered a car windshield.

Roethlisberger's injuries Injuries suffered by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, according to Dr. Larry M. Jones, chief of trauma at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh: Fractures to his upper and lower jaw Mild concussion Fractured nose Fractured facial bones Multiple head lacerations Multiple abrasions and contusions Lost two teeth Chipped several teeth No evidence of major structural damage to knees CT scan of brain showed no injury – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Steelers' Super Bowl-winning quarterback was upgraded to fair condition at Mercy Hospital yesterday, a day after the accident at a busy Pittsburgh intersection left him and his team shaken.

Despite being tossed high into the air after his made-for-speed motorcycle rammed into a car, causing him to smack his head on the car's windshield, Roethlisberger escaped career-threatening injuries.

If his broken jaw heals on schedule, Roethlisberger, 24, might miss part or most of training camp but could be ready for the Sept. 7 opener against Miami. For the Steelers, who would otherwise go into the season with backup Charlie Batch and rookie Omar Jacobs at quarterback, that is the best possible scenario after an accident that left huge splotches of Roethlisberger's dried blood on the street.

Dr. Larry Jones, the chief of Mercy Hospital's trauma unit, said Roethlisberger's brain was functioning normally, although the QB has a concussion.

“He is awake, alert, oriented and is resting with his family by his side,” Jones said during a news briefing at which reporters were not allowed to ask questions.

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