By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger underwent an emergency laparoscopic appendectomy on Sunday and is resting comfortably in the hospital after an "uneventful" surgery.

Roethlisberger arrived at the team's practice facility on Sunday morning, was feeling ill and was sent to see the team doctors, who performed the surgery.

"The surgery went well," said head coach Bill Cowher. "He is obviously going to be out this week and we will go week-to-week from there."

Charlie Batch will start on Thursday in the team's season opener against the Miami Dolphins at Heinz Field.

"This is why Charlie is here," said Cowher. "We will rally behind him. Everybody else will do so as well. Charlie is fine.

"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 of that nature. That's the nature of this business.

"Adversity is not what knocks you down; it is how you handle it and how you respond to it. This football team with its veterans has been down this road before, facing challenges and adversity."

The Steelers will bring in another quarterback, but it's uncertain if that player will serve as a back-up to Batch or be placed on the practice squad. The Steelers re-signed rookie quarterback Omar Jacobs to the practice squad on Sunday.

"I am not going to elaborate at this point," said Cowher. "We will assess the back-up as the week goes on. That is the situation we are being dealt and we are not asking for any pity nor are we going to make any excuses. It's the hand we are dealt and we are going to get ourselves ready for Miami accordingly."