National Football League

Big Ben shrugs off Harbaugh comments

Published Jan. 12, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger said Tuesday he was not bothered by comments Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh made about being glad his team broke the quarterback's nose the last time they met, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was fined $15,000 by the NFL for his inadvertent elbow to Roethlisberger's face on Dec. 5 that broke his nose.

Despite the fine, Harbaugh showed no remorse, but he did praise the way Roethlisberger played with the injury.

“He’s a tough guy. He had the broken nose. I was glad we broke his nose and then I was very impressed that he played through it. Obviously, you can throw very effectively with a broken nose -- he proved that,” Harbaugh said.

Roethlisberger said the comments were blown out of proportion in the press.

"I think it was taken out of context, if you ask me," said Roethlisberger, who, like Harbaugh, played for Miami of Ohio.

"I know coach Harbaugh. He's a Miami guy and us Miami guys stick together, there's so few of us.

"Actually, on the field before every game we talk to each other and ask how everything is going. So I don't think it was intended maliciously at all."

The comments came ahead of Saturday's divisional playoff game at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, where Harbaugh expects his team to again aggressively target the quarterback.

Roethlisberger said Tuesday he knew Ngata's hit was accidental, while also apologizing to Ravens nose tackle Kelly Grigg, who he originally blamed for the incident.

“It wasn’t like I was mad,” Roethlisberger said. “No way was it on purpose. So I didn’t feel any kind of way about it.”

“I have to apologize to Kelly Gregg,” he added. “I blamed him for it during the game. I’ll have to apologize when I see him on the field. I was giving him a hard time.”