National Football League

Big Ben might need foot surgery

Published Jun. 25, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said his injured right foot was almost healed after a long period of rest in the lockout but warned he still might need surgery if it halts his progress when the labor dispute is finally over, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Saturday.

Big Ben battled through the injury last season after reaggravating a broken bone in his foot, taking to the field with a metal-plated cleat to lead Pittsburgh to Super Bowl XLV before a 31-25 defeat by the Green Bay Packers.

"There were times during practice and games where I didn't feel like I'd be able to walk," Roethlisberger told the newspaper Friday, adding that he could have gone under the knife after last season.

"I could have had surgery, but according to the doctors it would have been a really nasty process because of where the break was," he said. "It was better off trying not to do anything."

Roethlisberger was busy preparing for his wedding on July 23. He said he will continue to respond to his foot with the Steelers training camp scheduled a week later.

"It's going to be something where we're just going to have to, in essence, play it by ear," he said. "If it continues to be as painful as it was at the end of last year, then I'm going to probably have to have the surgery."