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Roethlisberger now agrees with decision to sit him

Ben Roethlisberger was "hurt" by teammate Hines Ward's remarks questioning why a concussion kept him out of an important game against Baltimore. But the Steelers quarterback now agrees he shouldn't have played.

Ben Roethlisberger was "hurt" by teammate Hines Ward's remarks questioning why a concussion kept him out of an important game against Baltimore. But the Steelers quarterback now agrees he shouldn't have played.

Roethlisberger patched up his relationship with Ward during a phone call Monday, and the two have since moved on to Sunday's game against Oakland.

"He reached out to me and I told him I was just hurt more than anything else," Roethlisberger said yesterday. "You know, we got over it, moved past it and now we're preparing."

Ward apologized separately to Roethlisberger and the Steelers (6-5), saying he spoke out of frustration soon after learning the quarterback wouldn't play in the 20-17 overtime loss in Baltimore. Ward didn't know at the time of the interview that a team doctor recommended that Roethlisberger not play due to post-concussion headaches.

Roethlisberger received at least his fourth concussion since 2006 the previous week in Kansas City.

The quarterback said he was "in shock" when coach Mike Tomlin unexpectedly told him the day before the game he wouldn't play. Now that he's had time to consider the reasons for the benching, Roethlisberger said the move made sense.

"I respected what they said," Roethlisberger said. "You do have to think about your future and your family. It's not fun, but you can get knee-replacement surgery, you can have rotator-cuff surgeries, but you can't get a new brain."

Roethlisberger was seriously injured during a June 2006 motorcycle accident in which he received a concussion and numerous other facial injuries, including a broken jaw. He still has five plates in his head as a result of that crash.

"A lot of people forget the accident that I had," Roethlisberger said. "[The doctors] remembered that. It was life-threatening."

Roethlisberger said he hasn't had a recurrence of the headaches brought on by physical activity that occurred following three practices last week.

"I feel great. I'm ready to go . . . ready to rock 'n' roll."

Noteworthy

* Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said he doesn't expect to decide who will start at quarterback Sunday night against Minnesota until just before game time. Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart split practice time with the starters again yesterday, and Whisenhunt said he has made no decision.

"You want to make the decision now but certainly we've got to see how everything goes with Kurt," Whisenhunt said. "Even though he may feel great today, there might be a situation where something could come up."

Warner, who suffered a concussion against St. Louis on Nov. 22, took all the practice time with the starters last week but sat out Sunday's 20-17 loss at Tennessee because of lingering symptoms. That left Leinart the starter without much preparation.

Warner said he feels much better this week but Whisenhunt is putting off his decision in case there are any late setbacks.

* The San Diego Police Department says it has determined there is not enough evidence to prove a bar patron's claim that Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie hit him in the head with a champagne bottle hours after the team's victory at Denver.

Spokeswoman Monica Munoz said the case will not be sent to the City Attorney's Office because the investigation found there was not enough evidence to prove a crime occurred. Cromartie had been under investigation for assault with a deadly weapon.

* St. Louis running back Steven Jackson has been fined $5,000 for throwing a ball into the stands in the final minute of Sunday's loss to the Seahawks. He does not plan to appeal.

* New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw and safety Michael Johnson didn't practice because of injuries, leaving their availability for the team's game against Dallas uncertain. Coach Tom Coughlin said it was "encouraging" that Bradshaw, the team's second-leading rusher, sprinted a bit during practice yesterday. Bradshaw, who missed the loss at Denver on Thanksgiving with left ankle and foot problems, was no longer wearing a boot.