Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will not require surgery on his left, non-throwing, wrist after suffering a fracture against Cincinnati on the weekend.
“Really, it’s just about bracing and securing it for his comfort and safety. And then, it’s about how functional he is,” head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday. “We’ll see where the week leads us and we’ll take it day by day.”
The veteran QB was hit awkwardly and could be seen favouring his left hand in the AFC North divisional showdown Sunday. According to Tomlin, Rodgers lobbied to return to the game, but the team opted to play it safe with the 41 year old, sitting him for the second half of the contest.
Pittsburgh would go on to win 34-12 thanks to a strong defensive showing which gave Joe Flacco fits all afternoon long. Backup QB Mason Rudolph would complete 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a TD in relief of Rodgers.
Should Rodgers be unable to suit up this weekend against Chicago, then Rudolph would be in line to make another start for the Steelers.
Pittsburgh also lost RB Jaylen Warren due to an ankle injury in the contest as well. Warren told reporters that he too could have re-entered the game if the team needed him, but that by sitting him in the later stages of the game, the team was “being smart” about his load management.
Kenneth Gainwell managed 105 yards from scrimmage in an elevated role while also scoring twice on the afternoon, which likely helped make that decision an easy one for Tomlin & Co. Even with Warren on the sidelines, rookie running back Kaleb Johnson saw only 8 snaps of action, and 5 carries for 15 yards, which doesn’t bode well for his future outlook in 2025.
Pittsburgh will need to keep their win streak alive as they travel to Chicago on November 23rd. The Baltimore Ravens have now won 4 games in a row and suddenly find themselves back in the AFC North divisional mix at 5-5 after a dreadful start to the season.
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