Roethlisberger in serious condition after wreck

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers standout Ben Roethlisberger, the youngest quarterback to lead a team to the Super Bowl championship, broke his jaw and nose in a motorcycle accident Monday in which police say he was not wearing a helmet.

Roethlisberger, 24, was in serious but stable condition at Mercy Hospital.

Four doctors operated on Roethlisberger for seven hours to treat multiple facial fractures and "all of the fractures were successfully repaired," Dr. Harry W. Sell, chairman of the surgery department at the hospital, said Monday night.

Dr. Daniel Pituch, who led the team, said doctors were aware of no other serious injuries.

"His brain, spine, chest and abdomen appear to be without serious injury and there are no other confirmed injuries at this time," Pituch said.

Doctors said Roethlisberger's condition was not expected to change through the night.

Roethlisberger was talking to doctors before surgery, Dr. Larry Jones, chief of trauma at the hospital, said.

People close to the situation were hopeful Roethlisberger would be ready to play for the Steelers at the outset of the NFL season in September.

One person familiar with Roethlisberger's injuries, speaking to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because the player had been out of surgery for only about an hour and the Steelers had not officially updated his condition, said the broken jaw was the most serious of the injuries and it should be healed in about seven weeks.

Roethlisberger helped the Steelers beat the Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5 in Detroit.

Roethlisberger's stepmother, Brenda, was crying as she arrived at the hospital. Roethlisberger was scheduled to film a national television ad for Campbell's Chunky Soup with teammates and his stepmother Monday.

Roethlisberger's mother, Ida, died in a car accident when he was 8.

Steelers president Art Rooney II, in a written statement, said, "On behalf of everyone within the Steelers organization, I want to express my concern for Ben Roethlisberger. I am sure Ben knows that we are praying for his complete recovery."

Roethlisberger repeatedly has said he likes to ride without a helmet, a habit that once prompted a lecture from Steelers coach Bill Cowher.

Pennsylvania's mandatory helmet law was repealed in 2003.

Cowher spoke to Roethlisberger about his penchant for riding without a helmet after Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was injured in a motorcycle accident last year.

Roethlisberger remained defiant on the issue and said publicly that he considered himself a safe rider even though he didn't wear a helmet. Roethlisberger's contract, unlike Winslow's, reportedly does not explicitly prohibit him from riding a motorcycle, although NFL players' contracts contain standard clauses about avoiding dangerous activities.

Roethlisberger was on his 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa — the company calls it the world's fastest bike for legal street riding — and heading toward an intersection on the edge of downtown. A Chrysler New Yorker traveling in the opposite direction took a left turn and collided with the motorcycle, and Roethlisberger was thrown, police said.

The car was driven by a 62-year-old woman, police said. No charges were immediately filed stemming from the accident.

Witness Sandra Ford was waiting at a bus stop when she said she saw the motorcycle approach. Seconds later, she said she heard a crash, saw the motorcyclist in the air and ran toward the crash scene.

"He wasn't moving and I was afraid that he had died. ... He wasn't really speaking," said Ford, who didn't realize the man was Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger reportedly struck the car's windshield with his head.

Police and homicide units were leading the investigation, a standard practice when there is an accident with critical injuries.

Teammates, including backup quarterback Charlie Batch, linebacker Joey Porter and safety Mike Logan, arrived at the emergency room.

Other athletes injured on motorcycles during their careers include basketball's Jay Williams, skiing's Hermann Maier and auto racing's Dario Franchitti.

Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, speaking of Roethlisberger, said, "Obviously, you worry about what happens to him. Of course, he's a good football player. But he's a good kid, too. You just hope he's OK. The worst thing is not knowing."

Whisenhunt was in no mood to judge the quarterback for not wearing a helmet.

"He has been hit so much with that," Whisenhunt said. "From every direction. That's not my place to get on him about it. But we've talked about it. In a way, I don't blame him. He's a man. He's going to make his own decisions."

Winslow, contacted Monday, said, "I hate to see something like that happen to a friend. But it is what it is. Hopefully, he can bounce back strong, like I will. You've got to learn your lesson, not to take risks. You can't put your career in jeopardy."

The fact Roethlisberger continued to ride after Winslow's accident angered retired quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who guided the Steelers to four Super Bowl titles in the 1970s.

Visiting the team's training camp last year, Bradshaw told Roethlisberger: "Ride it when you retire."

Compiled from The Associated Press, The Washington Post and Gannett News Service.