Scott Brown is reporting via Twitter that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was not at practice today for the Steelers as they started their preparations for their Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers. Roethlisberger is still in a walking boot, according to Brown, but was at the practice facility today. His teammates are saying that they expect he will play Monday night.
Roethlisberger suffered a high left ankle sprain in the second quarter of the Steelers Thursday night win over the Cleveland Browns after being sacked out of the pocket by Browns defensive lineman Scott Paxson. Roethlisberger was helped off the field and straight to the Steelers lockerroom for X-rays. He returned for the second half after the X-rays revealed the ankle was not broken and played the rest of the game with the ankle heavily taped up. An MRI on Friday revealed that the injury was not a Grade 3 sprain, the most severe type of sprain.
Brown also reports that center Maurkice Pouncey is still saying that he expects that he will play Monday night and that this high ankle sprain that he suffered in the second quarter against the Browns isn\’t as severe as one that sidelined him for the Super Bowl last February. Unlike Roethlisberger, Pouncey did not return to action after leaving the game Thursday night and he too was spotted wearing a walking boot after the game as well, but was not wearing it on Monday. Pouncey was quoted as saying today, “Everybody’s fine. We\’ll be all right to go on Monday Night Football.”
