Aaron Rodgers Could Be Ready for the Steelers’ Next Game
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has expressed his confidence that Aaron Rodgers will be available for the team’s next game, despite the recent 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears. Rodgers, who suffered a fractured left wrist against the Cincinnati Bengals the previous week, did not participate in the game against the Bears, nor did he act as the third emergency quarterback. Mason Rudolph took over the starting position in Rodgers’ absence.Tomlin suggested that Rodgers didn’t need to practice to be ready to play on Sunday. “He’s the type of person, and he has the type of profile, that doesn’t require a lot of physical work to be ready to play,” Tomlin commented in his weekly press conference. “And that’s helpful.” After missing Wednesday’s practice, Rodgers wore a wrist stabilizer and participated in a limited capacity in Thursday and Friday’s practices. Tomlin decided on Saturday that Rodgers would not play, and informed Rudolph that same day that he would be the starter. Some teammates found out on Sunday that Rodgers would not play, including center Zach Frazier.“I anticipate that he will be ready for next week against the Buffalo Bills,” Tomlin said. “It was a prudent decision. Certainly, it wasn’t a fluid week for him. It was a fluid week for Mason in terms of repetitions, and I think that will be in our memory as we move forward. I hope that.”
Mike Tomlin
When asked if Rodgers wanted to play on Sunday, Tomlin replied that that’s the norm for the 41-year-old quarterback. “Aaron always wants to play,” Tomlin said. Rodgers, who was not in uniform, spent the game on the bench and participated with his teammates. In his first start since Week 17 of last season, Rudolph completed 24 of 31 attempts for 171 yards and a touchdown in the final quarter to tight end Pat Freiermuth. However, Rudolph also threw an interception on his first pass attempt, and he also lost the ball when sacked by Montez Sweat. The offense also lost the ball on downs in the first half. The Bears capitalized on the turnovers and the turnover on downs to score 21 points. The Steelers recovered the ball with 1:29 remaining and trailing by three points, but failed to get into field goal range and lost the ball on downs with 17 seconds left on an incomplete pass by Rudolph on fourth and six. When asked if Rudolph’s performance on Sunday would influence Rodgers’ availability against the Bills, Tomlin did not want to answer. “I will talk to you about next week, next week,” he said. “I am here to analyze what has just happened.”“I found out today,” he said, adding that nothing changed for him or the offense. “I feel like both quarterbacks prepared well, and we were ready for either one to play today. And obviously, Mason was ready. He prepared all week and was confident in the game plan. We trusted him.
Zach Frazier
