Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger revealed on Tuesday that he suffered a small break in his right thumb during the third quarter of the Steelers 24-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Roethlisberger doesn't recall how the injury occurred, but said it was the same thumb he broke in 2005.
"I re-fractured it," said Roethlisberger. "I don't quite remember how it happened. It must have been something on the ground or I caught it on the ground, but I don't remember hitting in on a helmet.
"I just remember it being painful and going to the doctor and them looking at it. We got all of the tests done yesterday."
The team's training staff taped the thumb during the Bengals game, allowing him to not miss any time.
"John Norwig did a great job of taping it up and making a quick splint out of tape and went with it," said Roethlisberger. "Squeezing it is the hardest part. Having the glove on helped grip it a little bit."
The Steelers have a bye this weekend, before taking on the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 27 at Arrowhead Stadium, a game Roethlisberger said he won't miss.
"I'd play this week," said Roethlisberger. "We'll concoct a splint. I'll have a glove on for the rest of the year. It will be painful but it takes a lot to keep me out."
Roethlisberger said getting rest during the team's bye week will definitely help the thumb.
"Luckily we have the bye week," he said. "I don't have to throw right now. It will be a good time for it to rest. The big thing is just getting used to throwing with a splint on it again and a glove, which I have done before."
