Steelers QB Roethlisberger chooses birth over game

[shovelnose]

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/N.../20174841.html

Ben Roethlisberger is about to become a dad, and he's not taking the life-changing event lightly. That includes being present for his son's arrival -- even if that means missing a game.

"I'm not missing the birth of my child," he said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "There's no chance. I know some fans probably don't want to hear that, but there's no chance."

Roethlisberger would not share the exact due date of his first born, but it's somewhere in the middle of the season according to the 30-year-old veteran.

The Steelers have two veteran backups -- Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch -- who have been starters and each has filled in for Roethlisberger during his absence in recent seasons. He missed the first four games of the 2010 season and has missed at least one game in each of his previous eight seasons with the exception of 2008.

The Steelers midseason schedule includes multiple road games, and it's to be determined how the team plans to handle Roethlisberger's game-day status until the moment arrives. Pittsburgh plays at Tennessee on Oct. 11 (Thursday) and the next week at Cincinnati in back-to-back primetime games. The Steelers are home in weeks eight, 10 and 11 and at the Giants for Week 9 on Nov. 4.

As a father I support his decision. As a fan hopefully it happens on an off day.

[pete74]

I don't blame him. It will suck to lose him for a game especially if we lose then miss playoffs by one game but oh well. I would do the same. With that said hopefully she goes into labor on a Tuesday morning

[Bayz101]

I wouldn't miss the birth of my son, either. I don't blame him one bit.

[MACH1]

I wouldn't miss the birth of my first child for anything. Lets hope she pops on a weekday.

[Ricco Suavez]

She knew what the score was when she married him. If she did'nt then someone needs to tell her. Now get out there and spit that baby out between practices on Monday and Tuesday.

[wera176]

When's our bye week?

[1st&Goal]

Originally Posted by Ricco Suavez

She knew what the score was when she married him. If she did'nt then someone needs to tell her. Now get out there and spit that baby out between practices on Monday and Tuesday.

I love my kids and didn't miss either of their births. This comment though made me LMAO!

[tony hipchest]

he is projected to miss a ravens game 1st week of december.

personally, after being awake 20 hrs and not allowed to smoke in the room, i would suggest ben just play football, have some fun, and get somebody video the bloody grey alien, conehead, baby exit the monsters womb.

[tanda10506]

It probably won't be an issue. He doesn't need to miss a whole week for it. The odds of the baby being born exactly on a Sunday and at a time that it causes him to miss a game is kind of low. Even if he can't travel with the team for a road game due to his child being born Friday/Saturday, he can still be flown out after the birth. And I would take a jet lagged Ben over Batch or Leftwich any day. I hope he finds a way to play no matter how it works out, already having nightmare day dreams of him abandoning the team the day before playing in Baltimore.

[OX1947]

Meh. Regular season game is easy. Tell me this if her due date was Super Bowl Sunday.