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HOT TOPIC
Albeit belatedly, Ben Roethlisberger will finally heed the advice of his coaches and others and don a helmet when he next rides a motorcycle -- IF -- he ever rides again.
The Steelers' young quarterback practically sneered at those who advised him to put a helmet on when he rode -- including his coach, Bill Cowher -- right up until June 12, when he flipped onto the windshield of a car that cut in front of him at a light in downtown Pittsburgh.
Released from the hospital two days later with a broken jaw, broken nose, broken orbital bone and a few teeth missing, Roethlisberger was repentant.
"In the past few days, I have gained a new perspective on life," he said in a statement released through the Steelers. "By the grace of God, I am fortunate to be alive, surrounded by loved ones and lifted by the prayers and support of so many. I am sorry for any anxiety and concern my actions have caused others, specifically my family, the Steelers organization, my teammates and our fans.
"I recognize that I have a responsibility to safeguard my health in the off-season so I can continue to lead our team effectively. I never meant any harm to others nor to break any laws. I was confident in my ability to ride a motorcycle and simply believed such an accident would not happen to me. If I ever ride again, it certainly will be with a helmet."
Cowher warned Roethlisberger in May 2005 about "choices and consequences."
"I certainly don't condone that," Cowher said of his helmetless riding.
Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw also raised his concerns about Roethlisberger's insistence on riding with or without a helmet.
"Ride it when you retire," Bradshaw said last summer during a visit to Steelers training camp. "That's the way I feel. Those things are dangerous."
Steelers officials also warned Roethlisberger about his motorcycle riding in a letter they sent to his agent, Leigh Steinberg, last summer.
Steinberg said there is no specific language in his 2004 contract that forbids the quarterback from riding a motorcycle. However, the Steelers' letter put him on notice they considered his riding a motorcycle one of the "dangerous activities" forbidden in the contract he signed as a rookie in 2004.
"They did send us a letter clarifying the general language," Steinberg said. "But there's not a specific motorcycle clause in the signing bonus language. It does not lay out proscribed activity."
PLAYER NOTES
--QB Tommy Maddox, released by the Steelers early in March, was the only player not to attend their ring ceremony. Others who left or were cut -- Antwaan Randle El, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Chris Hope and Willie Williams -- all picked up their rings with their former teammates in Pittsburgh.
--His motorcycle accident already has cost Ben Roethlisberger in his pocket book and his mother a shot at potential fame. Roethlisberger and his stepmother, Brenda, were supposed to film a Campbell's Chunky Soup commercial in Pittsburgh with his offensive line in Pittsburgh two days after the accident. Campbell's scrapped Roethlisberger and his mom and went ahead and filmed some of his offensive linemen and nose tackle Casey Hampton in a revised script.
--Dallas Mavericks maverick owner Mark Cuban, a Pittsburgh native, wore a No. 7 Ben Roethlisberger Steelers jersey during his appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman June 14. Cuban said it was a display in support of Big Ben's recovery.
--S Chris Hope, who left the Steelers as a free agent in March, said some of his teammates warned Roethlisberger last year about riding: "Big Ben, I know you liking riding bikes but be careful or put a helmet on at least to make us feel a little comfortable."
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The Steelers released first-year linebackers Malcolm Postell and Matt Farrior, and rookie safety Jamar Landrom from their roster.
Farrior, brother of Steelers starting inside LB James Farrior, re-signed with the Steelers on Feb. 17, 2006, and played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe League. Postell signed with the Steelers on Feb. 17, 2006, and was allocated to NFL Europe with the Berlin Thunder. Landrom signed with the Steelers on April 24, 2006, as an undrafted rookie free agent from Tennessee State.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
--RB Willie Parker came out of nowhere as an undrafted second-year player to rush for 1,202 yards, the most by a Steelers player in five seasons. He's their starter but unlikely to receive a long-term deal until possibly next year.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
--OT Willie Colon (4th): $1,333,500/3 yrs, $283,500 SB.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--QB Charlie Batch: UFA; $4.2M/3 yrs, $800,000SB.
--OT Barrett Brooks: UFA; terms unknown.
--LB Arnold Harrison: ERFA; terms unknown.
--LB James Harrison: ERFA; $5.5M/4 yrs, $1.375M SB.
--RB Verron Haynes: UFA; $1.75M/2 yrs, $315,000 SB.
--DE Brett Keisel: UFA; $13.1M/4 yrs, $3.29M SB.
--LB Clint Kriewaldt: UFA; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--S Mike Logan: FA, had been released by Steelers; terms unknown.
--WR Lee Mays: UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--WR Sean Morey: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--WR Quincy Morgan: UFA; $625,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB.
--DE Shaun Nua: ERFA; $350,000/1 yr.
--CB Ike Taylor: RFA; $1.573M/1 yr).
--CB Deshea Townsend: UFA; $7.76M/4 yrs, $2.29M SB.
--TE Jerame Tuman: UFA; $4.25M/3 yrs, $900,000 SB.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--DE Rodney Bailey: UFA Seahawks; $625,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB).
--S Ryan Clark: UFA Redskins; $7M/4 yrs, $1.7M SB.
PLAYERS LOST
--RB Jerome Bettis (retired).
--S Chris Hope: UFA Titans; $32M/6 yrs, $5M SB.
--QB Tommy Maddox (released).
--WR Antwaan Randle El: UFA Redskins; $31M/7 yrs, $5M SB.
--DE Kimo von Oelhoffen: UFA Jets; $9.2M/3 yrs, $3.2M SB.
--CB Willie Williams (released).
MEDICAL WATCH: No update.
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