PRAYERS GO OUT TO BEN

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been injured in a motorcycle accident this morning. According to a published report, Roethlisberger was riding his motorcycle on Second Avenue near the 10th Street bridge.
Police say the accident occurred just before 11:25 a.m. Big Ben was apparently not wearing a helmet. Police have reportedly closed down the bridge, Second Avenue and the Armstrong Tunnels.

A witness told Channel 4 Action News that Roethlisberger went over the handlebars, hit the windshield of another vehicle and then hit the ground. The eyewitness reports that Roethlisberger tried to get up, but was bleeding from the head.

Dr. Larry Jones, chief of trauma at Mercy Hospital, said Roethlisberger was in serious but stable condition in an operating room Monday afternoon, according to the AP. He was talking before he went into surgery, Jones said.

A pool of blood was found at the accident site.

Roethlisberger was taken to Mercy Hospital. There is no word on the extent of his injuries. According to reports, a silver Chrysler New Yorker with damage to the front passenger fender was removed and Roethlisberger's motorcycle was loaded onto a flatbed.

In only his second year in the NFL, Roethlisberger helped guide the Steelers to the Super Bowl championship last season.

Ben has said in the past that he prefers not to wear a helmet when riding.

Shortly after Kellen Winslow's motorcycle accident, which forced the Cleveland Browns tight end to miss the entire 2005 season, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher expressed concern over his own star player's infatuation with the bikes, reports FOX sports.

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Being one of the biggest steelers fans I am extremely upset over this. Please leave your love here. Thank you.

That sucks. Really should have been wearing a helmet. Hopefully it's not too serious. I think it depends on what bike you're riding whether or not you wear a helmet. Harley, no. Japanese bikes? Absolutely. There is a certain look for different bikes. I personally don't ride a bike, but I like the helmets that people wear. It's cool when no one can see your face.

I don't follow any sports, but at my last job we listened to a lot of sports talk radio. I recall someone having a similar accident, and the surrounding flurry of coverage. Some basketball player did the same thing a couple years ago.

A lot of what was said is that it states right in their contracts that they aren't supposed to be riding motorcycles and other such dangerous vehicles.

I fell off a cliff some 10.5 meters years ago at a mine. I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for the helmet- which shattered.

Kaine, Kellen Winslow Jr. torn his ACL last summer while doing tricks on his motorcycle. Jay Williams of Duke Univ. and then the Chicago Bulls had a horrific crash back in 2003 that nearly killed him.

I feel bad for Ben, but only so much. Accidents suck and it sounds like only a full helmet (or whatever the enclosed helmets are technically called) would have helped cause his face was shattered. However, if you're gonna ride a bike, wear a helmet. Likewise, if you're in a car, wear your seatbelt. That's my stance. I hope he recovers in time, which he should seeing as how the season doesn't start until Sept.; perhaps he'll be the post-accident-looking Luke of the NFL

It wasn't his fault and PA has helmets as optional. Recent reports say that he will be out of the hospital in 3-5 days. he will miss the first preseason game and will be ready for the regular season. THATS HOW [Expletive Deleted F-word]IN TOUGH THE QUARTERBACK OF THE SUPER BOWL CHAMPS ARE. [Expletive Deleted F-word]IN MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT AND HE'S OUT OF THE HOSPITAL IN LESS THEN A WEEK.

Maybe now he will rethink the whole no helmet crap. I love my bike and don't ride anywhere without a helmet. I have two, a brainbucket just for around town and a fully enclosed for out on the highway....cause rocks being thrown at you from a big ass semi's tire just aint any fun, that and bugs hitting you at 80 mph suck. I know it wasn't his fault and crap but I think he was still retarded for jepordizing not only his career but his life as well just cause he thought he looked cool while riding a bike with no helmet.