Pittsburgh Steelers backup running back Jerome Bettis will miss at least two weeks after injuring his calf last Friday in the first quarter of a 17-10 loss to the Washington Redskins. With their top two running backs now injured, the Steelers will open the season with Willie Parker, a second-year running back from North Carolina.

Pittsburgh Steelers backup tailback Jerome Bettis, filling in for previously injured Duce Staley, left last night's 17-10 loss to the Washington Redskins with a strained right calf. Bettis was injured without being hit and will have an MRI this morning to determine the extent of the injury. Staley predicted his own return for the Sept. 11 opener, but Cowher said last week the Steelers want to bring Staley along more slowly after Aug. 8 surgery to repair his lateral meniscus. Third string back Willie Parker, filling in for the injured Bettis, was solid gaining 112 yards on 11 carries.

Steelers backup quarterback Tommy Maddox has decided not to ask for a trade and although he wants to start, he loves Pittsburgh and will accept playing behind Ben Roethlisberger. "I'm not going to lie to you, I'm very happy here, I love playing for the Steelers, I love playing in this town," Maddox said. "But you look around the league and you know you can play, and you know you can start and you know you can lead a team to the playoffs and win playoff games. As happy as you are here, and as excited as you are about the opportunity and the chance we have to have a really good football team, everybody wants to play."

While acknowledging that he really does not know the terms being discussed, Hines Ward said he and the Steelers are "close" to a contract extension. Ward said he talks to his agent often and while "I don't know numbers, I don't want to know numbers." Nevertheless, "it's just a matter of when" and not if a deal gets done before the season begins. Sources close to the contract negotiations, however, say there is no deal "imminent." "It's close, as far as what he told me," Ward said of agent Eugene Parker. "I mean, we're close. It's just a matter of when. I don't know when. I just have to go out there, continue to practice, get better and try not to get hurt." Ward said that Parker, "gave me a ballpark figure somewhere, but I don't know where they're at with their ballpark figures." Ward reportedly is seeking guaranteed money of between $16 million and $18 million over the first three years of what likely will be a six-year contract. Those so-called guarantees come in the form of a signing bonus this year, a roster bonus next year, annual salaries and other possible bonuses. The money, technically, is not guaranteed but when the bonuses are high, it would be prohibitive -- for salary-cap purposes -- for the team to cut the player in the first three years, thus virtually guaranteeing the payout.

Pro Bowl wide receiver Hines Ward is ending his 15-day contract holdout and will report to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team plans to announce in a Monday night news conference. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the team will reciprocate by resuming negotiations on a new contract in hopes that a deal can be struck by the end of the week The announcement was scheduled for 75 minutes before the Eagles-Steelers exhibition game. Ward, poised to become the leading receiver in Steelers' history this season, became the team's first major holdout in 12 years on July 31 -- keeping his promise not to report to training camp without a contract extension that would make him one of the NFL's top-paid wide receivers. Ward has one year remaining on a contract worth $1.66 million this season, but wanted guaranteed money that would put him in the upper echelon of NFL receivers. The two sides were believed to be at least $3 million apart on a signing bonus when talks broke down just before camp opened.

There has been little progress made, however, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to have discussions with four-time Pro Bowl receiver Hines Ward who maintains his holdout for a better contract. Nonetheless, the Steelers are no closer to resolving their differences with Ward, who is seeking a contract extension, and are now being led to believe he eventually will report later in the season merely to play out the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent.

Running back Duce Staley is laying the blame form his torn lateral meniscus in his right knee on the ruff-n-tumble offense of the Pittsburgh. "That's the thing about playing in a physical offense," said Staley, who will be in civvies for the Eagles-Steelers preseason game Monday night at Heinz Field. "Injuries do occur. But, hopefully, I can get back in there and get back to being the old Duce, and get back to running the ball like I did the first part of last year." Steelers.

Joey Porter's surgery to have cartilage removed in his knee marks the second Steelers starter to go down in the last 3 days, as the linebacker joins halfback Duce Staley on the rehabilitation trail. Coach Bill Cowher said after practice last night that Porter will miss a month and "hopefully" be able to play in the opener Sept. 11 against Tennessee.

Pittsburgh Steelers? running back Duce Staley will miss a month after surgery yesterday to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. "Hopefully, we'll have him at the beginning of the season," coach Bill Cowher said. "We feel good about the long-term situation." In the advent of a long recovery time, Jerome Bettis will continue to fill in for Mr. Staley. "I knew going in I had to be ready for this type of situation, and I am ready," Bettis said.