NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was a conspicuous absentee when four of his team mates were voted captains for the season by their peers on Monday.
Roethlisberger, who has been suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the regular season following accusations of sexual assault, had been a captain the previous two years.
The 28-year-old, a Super Bowl winner with Pittsburgh in 2006 and 2009, is not permitted to be at the team's practice facility, attend games or have contact with any member of the coaching staff during his suspension.
Wide receiver Hines Ward was voted by his team mates as an offensive captain for a sixth successive season while tight end Heath Miller was selected for the first time, the Steelers said in a statement.
Inside linebacker James Farrior was named defensive captain for a seventh consecutive year and linebacker Keyaron Fox was voted special teams captain.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Steve Ginsburg)
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