Appendectomy to Keep Steelers’ Roethlisberger Out of Opener

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers had an emergency appendectomy after becoming ill before practice Sunday and will sit out the team’s opener against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.

Coach Bill Cowher is not certain how long Roethlisberger will be out after the quarterback’s third operation in 10 months -- and second in 2 1/2 months.

“The surgery went well,” Cowher said. “He is obviously going to be out this week and we will go week to week from there.”

Charlie Batch, the former Detroit Lions starter who was 2-0 as a fill-in last season when Roethlisberger injured a knee, will start against the Dolphins in the NFL’s first game of the season.

“This is why Charlie is here. Charlie will be fine,” Cowher said. “It’s a situation that can happen to any football team. You can go out there and have a starter go down, whether it’s an ankle or something else of that nature. That’s the nature of the business.”

Roethlisberger had facial surgery June 12 after a motorcycle accident but did not sit out any part of training camp. He sat out four games last season because of two knee injuries, one that required surgery, and injured his right thumb late in the season. He later said he broke it, though the Steelers never have confirmed that. But he was not sidelined because of that injury.

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Cornerback Ike Taylor signed a four-year contract extension with the Steelers, a signing that assures the Super Bowl champions that they won’t have any unrestricted free agents after this season.

Taylor’s deal runs through the 2010 season and would be worth $22.5 million if he plays through the final season, plus incentives. He receives $6.4 million in guaranteed money.

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Thomas Jones will start for the Chicago Bears at running back, regaining the role he lost before training camp after sitting out voluntary off-season workouts, Coach Lovie Smith said.

His competitor, Cedric Benson, injured a shoulder after taking a hit during a training camp practice and for the second consecutive year did not play in an exhibition. Benson held out last season after the Bears selected him in the first round.

Adrian Peterson is the Bears’ third tailback.

Jones was sidelined for the first two exhibitions and most of camp after injuring a hamstring while running during his physical. He played in the last two exhibitions and had 18 yards in nine carries.

Benson was disciplined for leaving the sideline during the second exhibition, against the San Diego Chargers, and for not attending a mandatory postgame meeting.

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Veteran quarterback Shaun King was among 25 players released by the Indianapolis Colts.

King, who started his career in Tampa Bay with Colts Coach Tony Dungy, took most of the snaps during exhibitions, but the Colts decided to keep only two quarterbacks -- two-time most valuable player Peyton Manning and Jim Sorgi.

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A day after he was cut, Marcus Vick was among eight players signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad. Vick, younger brother of Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick and a quarterback at Virginia Tech, switched to receiver this summer.