Saban: Tide’s McElroy played with title game with hairline crack in a rib

McElroy played title game with injured rib

PASADENA, Calif. — Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy played the national championship game with a hairline crack in at least one rib.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Friday that the injury was “a little bit of a nuisance” to McElroy at times. But he said the quarterback never came close to having to leave the Tide’s 37-21 victory over Texas on Thursday night.

Saban said the injury didn’t show up on X-rays but was spotted during a bone scan. He said didn’t say exactly when McElroy was injured, only that the quarterback had the problem “for quite awhile.”

McElroy told ESPN.com after the game he hurt two ribs during the third quarter of the SEC championship game. He said he got it numbed before the national title game.