By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com
Ben Roethlisberger stood in the locker room on Tuesday and joked with reporters as he flashed the ring on his hand.
No, it wasn't his Super Bowl ring. Instead it was Shaquille O'Neal's Los Angeles Lakers NBA Champion ring.
Roethlisberger was featured on O'Neal's show, "Shaq Vs." and played a game of H-O-R-S-E, a playground game of basketball, against the NBA superstar. The winner got the other's championship ring to wear for a week. Roethlisberger won, and O'Neal paid up.
"Where did that come from?" joked Roethlisberger when asked about the ring from 2002. "It says Lakers, three-peat. It says O'Neal on the side. I wanted to make sure it was known that Shaq paid up on his debt. I didn't realize I had that on. It's nice. Thanks Shaq."
The ring was big on Roethlisberger, who has smaller hands than O'Neal. But he still made sure he wore it.
"I am going to give it back this week," said Roethlisberger. "I wanted to make sure you guys got a good look at it one last time."
Wide receiver Limas Sweed said one of the keys for him this preseason was becoming comfortable in the Steelers offense. Heading into the team's final preseason game, things have come together for him.
"I feel like I know what is going on," said Sweed. "I am in the right place at the right time and running right routes. It's just the game of football you have always been playing. I just have to keep playing and have fun. I just need to play and everything will take care of itself. If I play the way I know I am capable of playing things will fall into place."
Thursday night in Carolina will be the final chance for some players on the bubble to show why they deserve a roster spot and Roethlisberger has some advice for them.
"Leave it all on the field," said Roethlisberger. "It may be your last time to prove to the coaches what you have. Treat it like your Super Bowl. Leave it on the field and no regrets."
Running back Frank Summers, who missed the last two preseason games with a hamstring injury, practiced on Tuesday and is expected to play on Thursday.
