Roethlisberger denies report that he played with cracked ribs

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he didn't play with cracked ribs during a Dec. 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Roethlisberger played through the injury during the second half of the 24-21 defeat.

"I have no idea where that came from," Roethlisberger said Tuesday on his weekly radio show, according to Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "My wife texted me before the game and said, 'Did you hear about this?' I'm in the locker room. I don't know where that guy gets his information from, so we're not going to give him any credence on this show."

Roethlisberger played Sunday without incident, leading the Steelers to a 17-10 victory over the New England Patriots. The veteran quarterback finished 22-of-34 for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

"At the end of the day, you trust in the doctors and what they tell you to do," he said. "We're all dealing with a lot of pain this time of the year."