Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hyperextended his knee in a Week 13 defeat to the Washington Football Team, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. 

Rapoport reported Roethlisberger's knees require routine maintenance because of arthritis:

A week after that loss to the WFT, CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora reported his hyperextended knee was becoming "a source of greater concern within the Steelers organization." Roethlisberger downplayed the situation and called La Canfora's piece a "phony thing."

The health of the six-time Pro Bowler is obviously important to the 11-3 Steelers.

Roethlisberger, 38, missed all but two games last season with an elbow injury, and the Steelers stumbled to an 8-8 mark and failed to make the postseason.

Neither Mason Rudolph (1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 62.2 completion percentage) nor Devlin Hodges (1,063 yards, five touchdowns, eight interceptions, 62.5 completion percentage) particularly impressed. 

Roethlisberger has righted the ship this season, though, throwing for 3,462 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.