PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers offered their first tentative show of support for Ben Roethlisberger, with director of football operations Kevin Colbert saying the disgraced quarterback has earned the right to make up for his tawdry behavior.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended the two-time Super Bowl winner for six games for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Goodell handed down the punishment after prosecutors decided not to charge Roethlisberger after a 20-year-old college student accused him of sexually assaulting her in a Georgia nightclub last month.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger will issue a statement on Monday concerning the suspension.

"I know he is going to make a comment regarding the discipline of the commissioner on Monday, and I'll let him do that," Tomlin said. "My understanding is at this point is he's ready to meet those challenges and take the necessary steps to move forward with his career."

Colbert's ready to support him.

"We can't defend the behavior or the actions as an organization and we won't, but we do defend his opportunity to make right, and I think that's the right thing to do," Colbert said. "This guy has helped us win two world championships. He's made some mistakes, but he also deserves the opportunity to rectify those mistakes. And we stand behind his opportunity to do that."

Colbert said he was speaking only for himself, not for the Steelers or Tomlin. Steelers president Art Rooney II, who did not talk to reporters on Saturday, has been particularly critical of Roethlisberger.

The quarterback also is being sued by a different woman who says he raped her in 2008 at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino. Roethlisberger denies the accusation and was not charged. He has claimed counter-damages in a lawsuit.