PITTSBURGH (AP) NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he will decide soon whether to punish Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for his off-the-field troubles.

"I think he understands how important the personal-conduct policy is to the NFL," Goodell said while attending a dinner honoring Steelers chairman Dan Rooney on Wednesday night. "And I hope he has a better understanding of how important it is for everybody in the league.

"We'll continue to gather more information. We'll continue to have that analysis done and we'll consider it and make a decision in the near future. We like to be thorough. We like to be sure we fully understand it. We've talked to, obviously, the player. We'll talk to the players association. I think anytime you can get more input into the various factors that are going on, the better decision you'll make."