Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Could Play Through Broken Wrist Against Bears

Aaron Rodgers mightiness get a chance to opportunity goodbye to 1 of his favourite places aft all.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday there’s a chance Rodgers and his fractured near wrist could still play connected Sunday erstwhile nan Steelers sojourn Chicago.

Rodgers injured his non-throwing wrist precocious successful nan first half of Pittsburgh’s 32-14 triumph complete Cincinnati connected Sunday. While Tomlin said Rodgers wanted to travel backmost in, nan four-time MVP remained successful nan locker room for information while backup Mason Rudolph helped nan AFC North-leading Steelers propulsion distant to amended to 6-4.

The 41-year-old Rodgers, nan NFL’s oldest progressive player, will not request room connected nan wrist. He will not believe connected Wednesday, and what happens aft that will dangle connected really Rodgers adjusts to nan brace he will deterioration and really it impacts his expertise to run normally.

Tomlin doesn’t expect symptom tolerance to beryllium an issue, though Rodgers will person to show he’s capable to protect himself.

Rudolph, who filled successful capably successful nan 2nd half against nan Bengals, would commencement for Pittsburgh against nan NFC North-leading Bears (7-3) if Rodgers can’t go.

Rodgers has a agelong history pinch Chicago, making love to his highly successful tally successful Green Bay earlier successful his career. He is 11-1 arsenic a starter astatine Soldier Field and erstwhile famously proclaimed he “owned” 1 of nan NFL’s oldest franchises.

Tomlin brushed speech nan thought that Rodgers’ power complete nan Bears will play a facet successful whether he plays.

“Aaron ever wants to play. Opponent has thing to do pinch it,” Tomlin said. “It’s his emotion matter pinch nan crippled of football.”

Tomlin isn’t judge precisely erstwhile Rodgers sustained nan injury, though cameras caught Rodgers clutching nan wrist aft a second-down heave to nan backmost of nan extremity area pinch Pittsburgh driving precocious successful nan first half. Rodgers was deed astatine nan extremity of nan play, though he did enactment successful to make 1 much pass, an incompletion to Roman Wilson.

Rudolph completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown against nan Bengals and will believe pinch nan starters until Rodgers returns, whenever that mightiness be.

Tomlin has sometimes allowed seasoned players to miss an full week of believe and past play connected Sunday. Former backmost Ben Roethlisberger spent a week connected nan Covid-19 database successful 2021 but was cleared to play nan nighttime earlier a sojourn to nan Los Angeles Chargers.

The chartless of really nan brace will impact Rodgers intends he won’t beryllium fixed that accommodation. Tomlin said nan squad will request to spot really nan brace affects what he called Rodgers’ “functionality” earlier deciding whether he tin play.

Asked what benignant of input Rodgers will have, nan NFL’s longest-tenured caput coach chuckled.

“It’s his body, truthful surely he’s gonna beryllium a constituent of nan discussion,” Tomlin said.

Rudolph gives Pittsburgh a reliable fallback option. The 30-year-old – now successful his 2nd stint pinch nan Steelers pursuing a lengthy tally arsenic chiefly a backup from 2018 done 2023 – memorably won 3 consecutive starts astatine nan extremity of nan 2023 play to thief nan Steelers make nan playoffs.

“He’s proven complete his clip present that he’s tin of coming successful and playing winning shot for us,” Tomlin said. “And that’s nary mini task.”

While violative coordinator Arthur Smith and Rodgers activity intimately successful putting nan crippled scheme together, Smith besides seeks input from Rudolph – 1 of nan reasons Pittsburgh’s discourtesy didn’t miss a hit against nan Bengals and nan NFL’s worst defense.

The situation will beryllium much difficult successful Chicago, wherever nan Steelers person won conscionable erstwhile successful 13 tries. The Bears lead nan NFL successful takeaways and are 2nd successful third-down efficiency.

Rodgers isn’t nan only subordinate whose position is uncertain for this week. Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith continues to woody pinch a pectoral wounded that forced him to beryllium retired against nan Bengals. Cornerback Darius Slay could beryllium backmost aft spending past week successful nan concussion protocol.

Running backmost Jaylen Warren, who injured his ankle successful nan 3rd 4th against Cincinnati, will beryllium constricted this week but could beryllium available. Kenny Gainwell compiled 105 full yards and 2 receiving touchdowns connected Sunday while getting an expanded look, which seems apt to continue.

While Warren was cleared to return precocious against nan Bengals – and moreover went backmost onto nan section astatine 1 point, only for nan Steelers to telephone timeout – Tomlin opted to instrumentality pinch Gainwell, whom he felt had nan “hot hand”.

The travel to Soldier Field originates a daunting three-week agelong for Pittsburgh, which has a tenuous one-game lead complete Baltimore. Pittsburgh big Buffalo connected 29 November, past unfastened December by visiting nan Ravens.