NEW YORK — Ben Roethlisberger was cleared by the NFL on Thursday to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers beginning next week, although no decision has been made on the length of his suspension.
The quarterback was suspended without pay for six games last month by commissioner Roger Goodell after a 20-year-old college student accused him of sexual assault in Milledgeville, Ga. No charges were filed.
Roethlisberger underwent a behavioral evaluation as part of the suspension, which could be reduced to four games by Goodell, who will review the case again before the regular season.
The Steelers’ next offseason workout is Tuesday, the first of three next week. They have three the following week, then are off until training camp starts July 30. Roethlisberger already was cleared to join them in camp and can play in preseason games.
“Commissioner Goodell informed us today that based on the information he received from the clinical evaluations, he has cleared Ben Roethlisberger to return to the Steelers’ facility to take part in both meetings and practices,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement released by the team.
Roethlisberger will be suspended through the Oct. 24 game against Miami and can return the next day. His first game would be at Super Bowl champion New Orleans on Oct. 31. If the suspension is reduced to four, he would return for a home game vs. the Browns on Oct. 17.
Shockey has seizure.
New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey was taken to a hospital after suffering what was later diagnosed as a seizure.
“I am OK. Thanks to everyone who has shown their concern,” Shockey said in a message posted on his Twitter account. “Don’t worry about me. I will be fine.”
Saints safety Darren Sharper, who was seen at the hospital where Shockey was being treated, also was with Shockey in the Saints’ weight room when the seizure took place.
“It was scary,” Sharper said. “We didn’t know what was going on.”
Footnotes.
The Raiders are trying to get nearly $10 million back from recently released quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
The team confirmed that a grievance has been filed seeking back wages from Russell. Yahoo! Sports first reported the story. The report says the Raiders are seeking $9.55 million from Russell in what was paid as salary advances for the 2010-12 seasons.
Russell was released earlier this month. He has been paid more than $39 million since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft.
• Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown is no longer an official executive adviser for the Browns.
Brown had served as a consultant for the team and owner Randy Lerner for the last few years. Brown will still be involved with the team.
• Rookie offensive lineman Ed Wang has signed with the Bills. Wang was the 140th selection in the fifth round.
