Roethlisberger cleared to practice after concussion protocol

Coming off a concussion suffered Sunday and diagnosed Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger practiced fully on Wednesday. It’s one step in the protocol to getting back on the field.

Roethlisberger expressed some frustration about the way the news of his concussion was handled Tuesday. Roethlisberger said he was no feeling any symptoms as of Wednesday morning. “I was told I can practice”. I know he failed to live up to lowered expectations on the run-first Seattle Seahawks (not all his fault), but he likely cost you a pick in the first four rounds which means you probably don’t have a better option. I don’t know the results of the test, but I was told I could practice. “Don’t see why this would be an issue”. However, after Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Big Ben has since said that he is unwilling to risk a brain injury. And he did say he had to check with a third party.

“We are going to watch and manage [Miller] throughout the course of the week and check his level of participation in practice, and, thus, availability because of it”, Tomlin said. Because they have a poor conference record and would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Chiefs it’s going to be an uphill climb to make it back to the playoffs.

I hate to go all old-school on you, but can’t you just see The Chief right now, if he were still alive and such a situation happened, calling all parties involved into his office and speaking through that chewed-on cigar saying, “we’re embarrassing ourselves, boys; let’s get on the same page”.

According also to the report, Carroll is optimistic that Graham will be ready in 2016 and said, “Absolutely, yes”. It’s my biggest weakness, so I just went out there….

Roethlisberger left the game against the Seahawks saying his peripheral vision was not normal and he felt as if he was looking through water. This is a matchup the Steelers will want to exploit, especially with Ben Roethlisberger having been cleared to play.

Tomlin said tight end Heath Miller (ribs), who was injured in the second quarter and did not return, will be monitored this week during practice. It’s sad, and I don’t want my teammates, my linemen, my running backs and everybody you’ve played with, when you have reunions, when we have this Super Bowl XL reunion however many years from now, I don’t want guys hobbling on the sidelines and drooling and not being able to remember things. The Colts are not an enormous threat to the Steelers, but Matt Hasselbeck does have them playing good football and the Steelers may need Roethlisberger to propel them to a win. I think he had big interception totals in a season a number of years ago.

Roethlisberger needed to be helped to his feet, but remained in for the remainder of the 14-play drive, diving for a 7-yard gain in his final snap of the afternoon, a game in which he threw 456 yards and a touchdown along with two interceptions.