Reports about Ben Roethlisberger's injury status are conflicting

A Post-Gazette report published Monday stands in direct opposition to a report posted by CBS Sports Sunday in regards to the medical status of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

We posted an opinion on the matter Sunday, suggesting perhaps the CBS Sports report was taking a statement and/or a fact out of context. That appears to be the case.

The Post-Gazette quoted a source saying Roethlisberger was "absolutely not" cleared to play Sunday, as the CBS report said. Roethlisberger was cleared to do as much as he wanted to do, but no one thought him playing Sunday against Baltimore was a possibility.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin left the door open for the possibility of "a miracle," but several people knew Charlie Batch would start for Pittsburgh in Week 13.

So if Roethlisberger was given the choice to practice, and he did not practice, without context, it can be inferred Roethlisberger held himself out. Without the key piece of information - his coach equated Roethlisberger's chances of playing Sunday with walking on water or giving birth - the story seems passable.

Clearly, it was not, assuming the Post-Gazette's source is either better placed or has more access to the decision-makers involved.

CBS Sports didn't report on the status of the relationship between Todd Haley and Roethlisberger either.

Follow @NealCoolong