Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stopped practicing yesterday when he slipped and slightly injured his right knee while throwing a pass.

Byron Leftwich took over and ran the final 1 1/2 offensive sessions over the final 20 minutes of practice. Roethlisberger said afterward that he slipped in the mud in the middle of the outdoor, grass practice field. He does not believe his knee is seriously hurt.

Coach Mike Tomlin prefers to practice outdoors when possible, especially when the Steelers have a home game. They also have an indoor practice field with artificial turf available to them.

The Steelers will see some new grass Sunday when they play the Cowboys at Heinz Field. Sod was placed over their DDGrassmaster surface nearly two weeks ago, and it was first used when Pitt played West Virginia last Friday.

Big Ben doesn't envy Romo

Roethlisberger will face the Cowboys' Tony Romo for the first time at quarterback Sunday, but Romo did play when the Steelers last played the Cowboys and beat them, 34-20, in 2004 in Dallas. Romo was the holder on place-kicks that day.

Since then, Romo has dated singers Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson, and Roethlisberger yesterday was asked if he ever thought what it would be like to be in the shoes of the high-profile Cowboys quarterback.

"No I don't," he replied. "I don't mean this to sound rude: He is asking for it. Dating the high profile, doing all the stuff he wants to do. That's the life he chooses to live off the football field. That's his choice and that's why. It's what he chooses to do."

Safety Ryan Clark, asked about Romo's celebrity, said: "I stopped reading US Weekly and all that stuff, I felt kind of feminine, you know, so I really haven't been up on it. I do know he's an awesome quarterback. I don't know if he can sing."

Told his girlfriend Jessica Simpson could, Clark answered, "Can she?"

Training staff honored

The Steelers three-person training staff was named the 2008 Pro Football Training Staff of the Year, and will be honored March 10 in Baltimore.

John Norwig, a Penn State graduate, has been the head trainer since 1992 and has two assistants, Ryan Grove and Ariko Iso, who is the first and only full-time woman trainer in the NFL. Grove, a Pitt graduate, is in his 10th season with the Steelers. Iso, a graduate of Oregon State, is in her seventh season.

The award is given annually to an NFL training staff that best exemplifies dedication and commitment to the training of its players.

McFadden to return Sunday

Cornerback Bryant McFadden, who practiced the past two weeks but has not played since Oct. 19, is ready to play Sunday.

"I feel I'm healed and ready to go," McFadden said yesterday.

He missed the past six games with a broken right forearm. He started the previous five games at left cornerback. William Gay, who started the past three games at that spot, will return to the nickel or play behind Deshea Townsend as the No. 4 cornerback Sunday.

Quick hits

It will be the Cowboys' first appearance in Heinz Field and their first visit to Pittsburgh since 1997. The Steelers have not beaten the Cowboys at home since 1988 when Chuck Noll and Tom Landry were the two coaches. ... The defense has not yielded a 300-yard game this season, tied for second since the 1970 NFL merger at 12 in a row. The record to open a season is 14 in a row by the 1973 Los Angeles Rams, when a season consisted of 14 games. ... Troy Polamalu's six interceptions are the most by a Steelers player since Rod Woodson, a Hall of Fame semifinalist this year, intercepted six in 1996. ... Casey Hampton, usually off the field in passing situations, got his first sack Sunday since Dec. 20 at St. Louis.