Ben Roethlisberger adds plastic shield to helmet to protect his nose

Steelers trainer John Norwig tries to staunch the bleeding from Ben Roethlisberger's broken nose. (Peter Diana / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

At this rate, Ben Roethlisberger is going to resemble the Fox robot when he steps onto the football field for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

He's already wearing an oversized shoe with two metal plates to protect his broken foot. Now, after his nose was broken Sunday, Roethlisberger will add a plastic shield to his helmet.

"I'm sure there's going to be some level of discomfort," coach Mike Tomlin said of the broken nose. "I don't think it's going to keep him out of football in any form or fashion.

"You know, he's a competitor. I think I even said it after the game we expect that from him. Not that it goes unappreciated; we just expect that from him. He expects that from himself. He's our quarterback. AFC North football is competitive. The series against the Ravens is a competitive one. No one's going to leave that stadium extremely comfortable, on either side. We understand what playing those guys is about. He delivered for us."

Kelly Gregg of the Baltimore Ravens extended his sympathy to Roethlisberger for the busted beak: "Ben needs to wear a lineman facemask and then he won't get hit in the nose like that."

Just how is a broken nose fixed? Read about it, if you're not squeamish.