Steelers keep quiet on Roethlisberger's foot

Trainers work on the foot of Ben Roethlisberger Thursday.

PITTSBURGH - Ben Roethlisberger has traveled with the Pittsburgh Steelers for this weekend's exhibition game in Washington, a further sign the quarterback's right foot injury is not serious.

The team did not issue an injury update before leaving yesterday, saying none is required by the NFL during the preseason. No one with the team, however, has indicated the injury was more than minor.

Roethlisberger is not expected to play tonight against the Redskins. He was hurt Thursday in practice when 345-pound left tackle Max Starks stepped on his foot.

Coach Mike Tomlin has declined to discuss the injury, which the Super Bowl champions have described only as being to Roethlisberger's foot.

Trainers looked at the back of the quarterback's foot after he was hurt, an indication the injury might be to his Achilles' tendon, heel, or his ankle.

Roethlisberger wore an ice pack on the back of his foot for the rest of the practice but did not leave the field for treatment and, despite limping badly, joined in the end-of-practice huddle at midfield.

Even after getting hurt, Roethlisberger served as a third-base coach during the traditional end-of-camp offense vs. defense softball game Thursday night.

Teammates also gave no sign the injury concerned them, and some even yelled at Roethlisberger in jest for leaving the practice field on a golf cart.

"But you never like to see your quarterback hurt," said Starks, who was shoved into Roethlisberger by linebacker James Harrison as the first-team offense practiced against the starting defense.

Roethlisberger led the Steelers to their second Super Bowl victory in four years last season. He played only two series in the Steelers' first exhibition game Aug. 13 against Arizona.