PITTSBURGH -- Last week, Ben Roethlisberger responded to Bart Scott's "drama king" label by telling the former NFL linebacker to check his lengthy medical file with team trainers.

And when asked on 93.7 The Fan about whether he would have played against the Patriots last week had it been a playoff game, Roethlisberger -- who's rehabbing a surgically repaired left meniscus -- doubled down by addressing the perception that some think he's faking.

"I would have tried [to play]. I've played through some injuries before. A lot of people think I'm faking them or whatever," Roethlisberger said on his weekly radio show. "I have a torn meniscus. But I would have done whatever I could to get out there for my guys."

When asked to further address the label, Roethlisberger mentioned Scott's "drama king" comment from the CBS halftime broadcast of Steelers-Dolphins, Roethlisberger suffered the injury in the second quarter of that game and played the second half on it. Scott basically insinuated Roethlisberger plays up injuries.

"I don’t know why [the perception exists]," Roethlisberger said. "I know, my teammates know, my trainers, my family, the stacks of medical records ... not a lot of embellishing going on."

Tom Brady recently called Roethlisberger one of the league's toughest guys, so someone accusing Big Ben of milking injuries was bound to strike a sour tone with a prideful player.

Roethlisberger has expedited injury timelines in the past, and he could do so again by throwing on the practice field on Tuesday, eight days after surgery.

Roethlisbeger evoked a phrase he learned from former Steelers coach Bill Cowher when discussing his rehab -- "Don't be soft, don't be stupid." He wants to return for the Baltimore game on Nov. 6, but he's not providing a timetable.

"I need to know what I can and can’t do," Roethlisberger said about hoping to practice next week. "I don’t want to [hurt the team]. In this situation, it would be smart to get a good, full practice in."

Roethlisberger's right knee also got bruised up by a right leg kick from Ndamukong Suh that didn't elicit an NFL fine. Roethlisberger said the kick felt "harder than anything's ever hit my knee before" in 13 NFL seasons. Was it a dirty play? "Only he knows that and obviously the league didn't think [so]."