From Teresa Varley at Steelers.com:

Shockingly it wasn’t the first question Ben Roethlisberger was asked during his media availability on Thursday, but fear not it was the second one.

Is playing on Sunday still a possibility?

“I hope so,” said Roethlisberger. “We’re going to try some different insoles, not necessarily shoes, but plates and things under there,” said Roethlisberger. “We’re going to try some stuff out today.”

Roethlisberger didn’t practice on Wednesday, but his plan to return to the practice field on Thursday played out, even if he was listed as a limited participant.

He knows Coach Mike Tomlin’s rule is if you don’t practice, you don’t play, but he is hoping in his case there will be some leeway if he is feeling good enough to play and gets at least some work in.


More from Ben:

On there being a concern for his stride when he throws:

“Well, I’ve already got a left knee and everything, it’s just the whole left leg. But, no. If I can’t do that, there’s no need to be out there.”


On if having the bye week is a silver lining if he can’t play this week:

“Yes. It obviously helps to have the bye week. But, my goal is to always get better as fast as possible, if possible. If I’m feeling good enough and if coach determines I’m doing well enough to be out there on Sunday, then that’s the goal.”


On if were you concerned it was something more than a sprain:

“Yes. I kind of sat there for a second and I went to get up, got help getting up, and I went to take a step. It felt like the middle of my foot was just broke in half. That’s when the doctor thought it could be, he was convinced it was a Lisfranc and that was kind of scary. But, we were blessed when we got back to the x-rays and saw it wasn’t that.”


You can read more & watch video of Ben’s Q&A here.

Our Veterans Day spotlight this year is on SSG Justin Hough, SPC Josh Blankenship and the 863rd Military Police Company, West Virginia Army National Guard out of Glen Jean, WV.


Representing Steeler Nation and supporting the boys in Black & Gold from Camp America in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba:


SSG Justin Hough and SPC Josh Blankenship, WV Army National Guardsmen out of the 863rd Military Police Company were deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from July 2014 to April 2015. They worked long hours in support of their mission, but according to SSG Hough, “Those wonderful months of August thru January didn’t phase us, because we knew we’d be able to root for our team.”


This photo was taken at Fort Bliss, Texas after the Company returned from their deployment in Cuba:

“Members of the Armed Forces are a resilient bunch, and they can’t think of a team that best represents a long-standing tradition of being a resilient group than the boys from the Steel City, the Pittsburgh Steelers.” — SSG Justin Hough.

Justin & his lovely wife Jennifer at the Company’s Homecoming Yellow Ribbon Dinner:

“God Bless this great Nation, the Armed Forces of the United States, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Thanks for all you do Ben!” — SSG Justin Hough and SPC Josh Blankenship & 863rd Military Police Company.

On this Veterans’ Day, the 863rd would like to thank all the past and present heroes, the “one-percenters” who have chosen to serve this great nation. They wish to send their thoughts and prayers to those still serving abroad and to their families. Thanks for your continued sacrifice and support.

And we want to thank the 863rd, as well as all of our servicemen & women! God bless you!


Also on this Veterans Day:


Play Santa for our troops this holiday season!

Shop the USO Wishbook!

The gifts you purchase from the USO Wishbook allow you to recognize a special occasion while directly benefiting troops and their families. You can send everything from a “comfort food” package to a good book to comfortable chairs!


You can learn more here.



And let us not forget…

“National Wreaths Across America day is […]

“The bye will come at a good time, but I’m not even going to rule myself out this week.” — Ben, on 93.7 The Fan.

More from Ben today:

How is the foot?

“I can walk on it. I’m not running around or anything but the smart thing to do, from what doc has told me and the trainers is just to kinda keep ice on it and get the swelling out and just kind of rest it, let it heal.”


When asked if the team is cursed with all the injuries, including two for him –

“You know, it just happens. I don’t know how to explain it other than it’s a violent, physical sport. It’s what we signed up for and some teams go through it. Like I said every week, we have to stay healthy. It’s always our number one goal and every individual’s goal. It’s not easy to do, but we have to find ways to persevere.”


On how he felt about his play in the game against the Raiders –

“I still, going back and looking at it I said this after the game and looking back at it again I’ll still say it, I think the line played great and I think the skill guys were very average, myself included…Just little details here and there that we weren’t sharp on and that’s myself, that’s Antonio Brown. And I know people are like, ‘That’s crazy, look at how many yards and catches and everything he had,’ but we look at it with a critical eye. Him and I have talked, we talked Sunday night when I was on my way back from the hospital, him and I talked, and I told him, so it’s not like this is a surprise to him that we left yards out there, we left plays out there.”


On DeAngelo Williams play –

“I thought he did awesome, I was proud of him. I talked to him Sunday night as well and he did some great things. Running the ball obviously, giving us big plays when we needed it, putting his head down and getting the tough yard when we needed it. I thought his day was very impressive.”


On Landry Jones coming in for him late in the game –

“I thought he did a great job, that’s what a good backup does. He has […]

And Ben is on hand (but off his foot) to support his friend and former teammate and his foundation…along with some other fine Pittsburgh folks!


Charlie Batch ‏@CharlieBatch16
Look who’s in the building for In the Pocket. It’s Ben, Cutch & The Pompeani’s #inthepocket16




Teresa Varley ‏@Teresa_Varley
Quite the group of QBs at In the Pocket. @MikeVick @LandryJones12 @_BigBen7 @CharlieBatch16 @bgradkowski5



Charlie’s 9th Annual event benefits his Reading & Computer Literacy Programs. You can learn more here.

The Steelers won the game, but they lost Big Ben to a foot injury.

And Steeler Nation came out strong on social media once again with well wishes for #7! But it was the Lil’ Fans who were stealin’ hearts. Sharing just a few:


Michael Hensel ‏@mikehensel
@_BigBen7 These 2 super Steeler fans want to wish you a speedy recovery.



Brett Kostoff ‏@kostoff2
My son is wearing his @_BigBen7 jersey to bed in hopes that Big Ben starts feeling better soon. #Steelers



My Info ‏@BobbymantellMy
@_BigBen7 my son got really upset when he heard you got hurt. Hurry back Ben



And then there was this one!


DinoReviews101 ‏@DinoReviews101
Get well soon @_BigBen7, we love ya! #SteelersNation #HereWeGo



Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to tweet, post & email “Get Well” wishes!!

“I would like to thank The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation and Nashville K-9 for the generous donation of K-9 Fanta to the Arnold Police Department. With always declining budgets of police departments, this donation allows us to maintain a full K-9 team for the Arnold Missouri Police Dept. This is a beautiful dog and with it’s training in place, she will make quick work on our department to get her on the street, helping to serve and protect our community.” — Chief Robert R. Shockey, Arnold (MO) Police Department.

In October, Nashville K-9 contacted The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation with the hope of finding a “home” for a dog that they trained and thought would be perfect as a K9 officer for a department in need. Ben’s foundation connected Nashville K9 with all of the police department applicants that were not selected to receive a grant during this NFL season.

The Arnold Police Department in Missouri jumped at the chance! In fact, they drove to Nashville to meet and pick up the dog last week and were so excited by their new K9 officer, that they sent us the photo above.

“It’s with our great pleasure to donate K-9 Fanta to the Arnold (MO) Police Department. Fanta is a two year old German Shepherd imported from Germany and will be used as a narcotics and demonstration dog for the APD K-9 unit. She’s well trained in obedience and loves children.” — Ali Hemyari, CEO Nashville K-9.

Thank you to Nashville K9 for allowing us the opportunity to assist them in helping another community receive a trained K9 officer, free of charge, and to Jessica Duffaut at the Giving Back Fund, who oversees Ben’s foundation!

And of course, congratulations to the Arnold Police Department on your new officer!