The Pittsburgh Steelers survived Week 11 with a win, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Sunday, 34-12. They did so despite missing star quarterback and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers for the entire second half due to an injury.
Rodgers, who will be turning 42 years old in December, reportedly suffered a fractured wrist in his left hand in the first half of the Bengals game. The injury is to his non-throwing hand, but it is still a concerning development for Pittsburgh, which let backup quarterback Mason Rudolph finish the job under center versus Cincinnati.
The Steelers' next assignment in Week 12 will be a showdown against the red-hot Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, an opponent and location that Rodgers is very familiar with. Rodgers, who's faced Chicago a lot of times in his legendary career, especially during his stint in the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers, is said to be determined to play through the injury.
“Aaron Rodgers, to my understanding, has told people close to him that he will be back very soon,” said NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Monday.
“He has told more people close to him that he doesn't want to miss a game. He is pushing to play in this game. I know it seems crazy because he broke a bone in his wrist, but it is his left wrist. If he is able to grip, if he is able to receive the ball, it is possible that Rodgers could play this weekend. Someone told me that he's essentially 50-50 to play this week. So, it sounds bad, but Aaron Rodgers does want to play and is trying to see how he could do it.”
Rodgers is set to undergo more tests to further determine the severity of his injury. At the same time, perhaps facing the Bears in what could be the final time in his NFL career may also be a significant motivational factor for Rodgers, who has a career record of 24-5 against Chicago.
