It’s unclear who will be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback this week. Aaron Rodgers suffered a wrist injury last week, so Mason Rudolph could get the start against the Chicago Bears. However, reports indicate that Rodgers wants to play. The injury is on his non-throwing hand, which could make it more possible. He turns 42 years old in a couple of weeks, though. Testing his health might not be wise. While former NFL head coach Tony Dungy thinks Rodgers will play Sunday, he’s not optimistic about the Steelers’ playoff hopes without the veteran quarterback.
“I think they will [make the playoffs],” Dungy said recently on the Football Night in America podcast. “I think Aaron Rodgers is gonna be able to play. And I think that veteran presence will get them through. I think this next couple of weeks is gonna be very, very important. Bears will be a tough game, Bills will be a tough game, Ravens, Dolphins.
“They’ve gotta come through with two or three wins there while Rodgers is rehabilitating. I think they can, but we’ll see what happens. I will say this: without Rodgers, they do not have a chance to make the playoffs. If he’s off or misses time, they’re done.”
It’s hard to say that Dungy’s wrong. Rudolph stepped up and helped the Steelers make the playoffs in 2023, but circumstances are different this time around. The Steelers were a Wild Card team that year. This year’s Wild Card race looks much more competitive. Winning the AFC North looks like the Steelers’ easiest path to the playoffs.
The Baltimore Ravens are only one game behind them, too, and the Steelers still have to play them twice. Therefore, it might be wiser for them to sit Rodgers this week and allow him to heal. If he plays against the Bears and injures his wrist further, then he could miss more time.
Like Dungy mentions, the Steelers’ schedule gets tough in the coming weeks. Losing to the Bills and Ravens could leave them on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
Playing or sitting Rodgers this week is a difficult decision. There are pros and cons to each. If the Steelers don’t play Rodgers, then they could lose this week, and the Ravens could get closer to taking the AFC North lead. However, if the Steelers play Rodgers, he could make the injury worse. Also, he might not play well enough for them to win because he’s not 100 percent.
We’ll see what Rodgers and the Steelers ultimately do. For now, they’re focused on the Bears. Hopefully, Rodgers is healthy enough to play, but if he’s not, then Rudolph will have to step up.
Recommended for you