The Pittsburgh Steelers capped off Week 11 with a win, beating the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Sunday, 34-12. They did so despite missing star quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Aaron Rodgers for the entire second half due to injury.
Rodgers, who turns 42 in December, reportedly suffered a broken left wrist in the first half of the game against the Bengals. The injury occurred to the hand other than the throwing hand, but it was still a worrying development for Pittsburgh, which had backup quarterback Mason Rudolph fill the role at center against Cincinnati.
The Steelers’ next game in Week 12 will be against the red-hot Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, a rival and venue Rodgers is very familiar with. Rodgers, who has faced Chicago numerous times in his illustrious career, most notably during his time in the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers, is reportedly determined to play despite the injury.
“I understand Aaron Rodgers has told people close to him that he’s going to be back soon,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Monday.
“He’s also told a lot of people close to him that he doesn’t want to miss a game. He’s pushing to play in this game. I know this sounds crazy because he broke his wrist, but it’s his left wrist. If he can handle the ball, if he can receive the ball, Rodgers could absolutely play this weekend. I’ve had people tell me he’s basically 50-50 in the game this week. So, it doesn’t sound good, but Aaron Rodgers really wants to play and is trying to see if he can do it.”
Rodgers will undergo further testing to better determine the severity of the injury, and facing the Bears for what may be the last time in his NFL career could also be a significant motivating factor for Rodgers, who has a 24-5 record against Chicago.
