Well this really sucks!!!

QB Roethlisberger undergoes appendectomy, out of opener

September 3, 2006

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - Ben Roethlisberger will not be under center when the Pittsburgh Steelers begin defense of their Super Bowl title on Thursday night.

Roethlisberger underwent an emergency appendectomy on Sunday afternoon.

The latest setback for Roethlisberger comes four months after he suffered serious facial injuries in a motorcycle accident.

Roethlisberger arrived at the team's practice facility on Sunday morning, was feeling ill and was sent to see the team doctors, who performed the surgery.

"The surgery went well," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "He is obviously going to be out this week and we will go week-to-week from there."

Charlie Batch will start on Thursday when the Steelers host the Miami Dolphins.

Roethlisberger was injured in a motorcycle accident on June 12 and underwent surgery for multiple facial fractures, a broken upper and lower jaw and broken nose. He also suffered a mild concussion, lost two teeth and chipped several others.

It was questionable whether Roethlisberger would be able to be ready by the start of training camp on July 28. But Roethlisberger reported on time and played in three of the club's four preseason games.

At 23 years of age, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl last February. He completed just 9-of-21 passes for 123 yards and was intercepted twice, but rushed for a touchdown in the Steelers' 21-10 win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL.

The 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Roethlisberger owns a 27-4 record, including 5-1 in the playoffs, as a starter. He is the first quarterback in the modern era to start a conference championship game in each of his first two NFL seasons.

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