National Football League

Big Ben to meet with NFL commissioner about suspension

Published Aug. 30, 2010 1:02 a.m. ET

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While Ben Roethlisberger has gotten some work in the preseason, the biggest day of his preseason will arrive in a little over a week.

Roethlisberger is scheduled to meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the team's final preseason game on Thursday, Sep. 2 to determine whether his suspension will be reduced from six games to four.

"The commissioner has stated that he would make his decision prior to the start of the regular season and that he would meet with Ben again as part of the process," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press.

Thus, the Steelers will go into the regular season knowing if they have to prepare for life without Roethlisberger for a month or six weeks.

It's unclear when the meeting will take place as logistics are still being worked out.

Goodell met with Roethlisberger in the beginning of August at Steelers training camp, but didn’t cut the quarterback’s suspension then.

''I'm very encouraged by what he's doing,'' Goodell said after the meeting.

Roethlisberger was suspended for six games after being accused of, but not charged with, sexually assaulting a Georgia college student in March.

This is the third time in five years that Roethlisberger's off-field behavior has caused major problems for the Steelers.

They missed the playoffs following a Super Bowl victory after Roethlisberger was badly injured during a motorcycle crash in 2006. Last season, a former Nevada hotel employee filed a civil suit accusing him of assaulting her. That case remains unresolved.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.