Big Ben leaves hospital

A second round of tests again showed no brain injuries, although the quarterback has a concussion, broken jaw and nose from the accident in which his motorcycle collided with a car at an intersection Monday morning.

Roethlisberger got out of his bed to greet visitors Wednesday, less than 48 hours after being admitted to the hospital only a few blocks from the crash site.

Players who visited said he is upbeat, and they are convinced he will be back quickly and with no diminished skills. Counting the playoffs, the Steelers have a 27-4 record with Roethlisberger at quarterback and have advanced to two AFC championship games and won a Super Bowl during his two seasons as a starter.

His release was kept a secret from the Pittsburgh media, which has stationed reporters and cameras at the hospital each day. The hospital released a statement saying that it “respected the wishes and privacy of Mr. Roethlisberger and his family� by not confirming his discharge until about nine hours later.

Roethlisberger’s broken upper and lower jaw are being held in place by screws and 2-inch titanium plates. He can eat soft foods — rather than being restricted to liquids — during an estimated six- to eight-week recovery period.

“We take a titanium plate, bend it and adapt it to the contours of the facial bones and then secure it in place with screws,� surgeon Daniel Pituch said. “This kind of state-of-the-art technology allowed us to successfully treat Mr. Roethlisberger’s facial fractures.�

As a result, the 240-pound Roethlisberger probably won’t lose as much weight as he would have on an all-liquid diet. The Steelers have not given a timetable for his return, but they are optimistic he will be ready for their Sept. 7 opener against Miami.

One of the team’s concerns was how long Roethlisberger would need to regain his weight and strength after being unable to work out for what might be an extended period.