Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a small fracture in his left wrist during the team's 34-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, sidelining him for the second half. The veteran is pushing to play in Sunday's matchup against the Chicago Bears without needing surgery, but his status remains uncertain. Backup Mason Rudolph performed well in relief, while rookie Will Howard could see increased practice reps.
Aaron Rodgers exited the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 11 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals after sustaining a left wrist injury on a fall during the first half. X-rays at Acrisure Stadium revealed a small fracture, but further tests confirmed no surgery is required, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. "It does not require surgery," Tomlin said. "Really, it's about bracing it and securing it for his comfort and safety. And then, it's about how functional he is."
Rodgers attempted to return against the Bengals but was held out, with Mason Rudolph stepping in to complete 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, helping secure the 34-12 win. Tomlin praised Rudolph's reliability: "He's proven over his time here that he's capable of coming in and playing winning football for us."
For the upcoming game against the Bears, Rodgers is consulting specialists and pushing to play, drawing on his history of toughness. He played through a broken thumb in 2022 and an MCL sprain with a tibial plateau fracture in 2018. Dr. Melanie Friedlander, evaluating the injury, noted it is likely a minor, non-displaced extra-articular fracture, predicting Rodgers could start. "Based on his history and the likelihood that this is a fairly minor fracture, my money is on Rodgers starting Sunday," she wrote.
Insider Gerry Dulac guessed Rodgers might sit to avoid reinjury, given the Steelers' comfort with Rudolph. Meanwhile, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger highlighted a potential silver lining for rookie sixth-round pick Will Howard, who missed preseason due to injury. "The only way Will Howard was actually gonna get reps this year... was either if Aaron got hurt," Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast. "Maybe this is a good thing for them, now."
The Steelers hold a one-game lead in the division and face a Bears team that has won seven of its last eight games. Rodgers has dominated Chicago historically, winning 25 of 30 starts, including playoffs.
