Aaron Rodgers suffered a minor fracture in his left wrist during the Pittsburgh Steelers' 34-12 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph stepped in and led two scoring drives in the second half. The injury raises questions about Rodgers' availability for the upcoming game against the Chicago Bears.
The Pittsburgh Steelers secured a 34-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but the victory came at a cost with starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers exiting late in the first half due to a left wrist injury. Rodgers completed 9 of 15 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown before leaving. The Steelers trailed 6-10 at halftime but pulled away in the second half, aided by a pick-six from Kyle Dugger that extended the lead to 20-9.
Mason Rudolph replaced Rodgers and went 12 of 16 for 127 yards and a touchdown, including a 5-yard scoring pass to Kenneth Gainwell on a 12-play, 65-yard drive. Rudolph also converted key third downs, helping Pittsburgh go 5 of 6 on third-down attempts in the second half after managing just 2 of 7 with Rodgers in the first half. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin praised Rudolph afterward, saying, "He's always delivered when called upon in the past. That's why we value him. His performance was consistent with what he's done in the past for us."
Rodgers is undergoing tests, with reports indicating a slight fracture that could sideline him. Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who played through a similar wrist injury in 2010 at age 35, described it as "doable" but painful, noting Rodgers could wear a splint and hand off with his right hand. Historical precedent exists: Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw played the majority of the 1977 season with a broken left wrist, throwing for 2,523 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions as the Steelers finished 9-5.
Analyst Emmanuel Acho expressed pessimism, stating on his podcast, "The Steelers’ present and the Steelers’ future is completely tanked off this Aaron Rodgers injury." Despite the setback, Pittsburgh leads the AFC North, one game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens at 7-3. Rudolph has won his last three regular-season starts for the Steelers, including a 2023 playoff berth. The team faces the Bears next, where Rodgers holds a 25-5 career record against them from his Packers days.
