Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, suspended for six games last week by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Monday said he’s accountable for his actions and apologized to his team and fans.
“The Commissioner’s decision to suspend me speaks clearly that more is expected of me,” Roethlisberger said in a statement on the Steelers’ website.
“I am accountable for the consequences of my actions. Though I have committed no crime, I regret that I have fallen short of the values instilled in me by my family. I will not appeal the suspension and will comply with what is asked of me ─ and more.”
The embattled football player has been accused of sexually assaulting an intoxicated 20-year-old student in the bathroom of a Georgia bar March 5, and is being sued for allegedly raping a woman in Lake Tahoe, Nev. Although Roethlisberger wasn’t criminally charged, the NFL found that he had violated its personal conduct policy. http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/12139/nfl-statement-on-roethlisberger
The NFL, in an intervention, called for Roethlisberger to undergo a comprehensive behavioral exam as well as being penalized with the missed games without pay.
“Missing games will be devastating for me,” he said. “I am sorry to let down my teammates and the entire Steelers fan base. I am disappointed that I have reached this point and will not put myself in this situation again. I appreciate the opportunities that I have been given in my life and will make the necessary improvements.”
Roethlisberger has sustained traumatic brain injury that can impact behavior. He was nearly killed in a motorcycle accident where he was thrown, and hit his helmetless head. He has also sustained four concussions on the field.
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