Roethlisberger ends hospital stay

Roethlisberger won the Super Bowl this year

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has left hospital, two days after suffering serious facial injuries in a motorcycle accident.

He required seven hours of surgery, leaving bones in his face held together by two-inch titanium plates and screws.

Roethlisberger was not wearing a helmet when his motorcycle collided with a car at a road junction in Pittsburgh.

CT scans confirmed he suffered no serious brain damage, although the crash left him with concussion.

In a statement released by the Steelers, Roethlisberger said: "In the past few days, I've gained a new perspective on life. By the grace of God, I'm fortunate to be alive."

The 23-year-old added that if he ever rides a motorcycle again "it certainly will be with a helmet".

I look forward to being at training camp in Latrobe and winning football games this season Ben Roethlisberger

Roethlisberger's contract, which was signed in 2004, did not contain a clause about riding motorcycles.

But his agent received a letter from the team last year warning that his riding could violate a universal NFL contract clause prohibiting dangerous activities outside of football.

However, the Steelers are unlikely to want to jeopardise relations with their marquee player.

Roethlisberger said: "I was confident in my ability to ride a motorcycle and simply believed such an accident would not happen to me.

"But I look forward to being at training camp in Latrobe and winning football games this season."

Roethlisberger is one of the NFL's biggest stars after becoming the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl last February when Pittsburgh beat Seattle.