The Sunday Splash Eve! reports for Week 12 featured near-identical (as they often are) tweets from ESPN and NFL Media that Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is “pushing to play” against the Bears on Sunday, despite having a fracture in his wrist.
Of course he’s pushing to play. As reported last week on Football Night in America (and confirmed on Tuesday by coach Mike Tomlin), Rodgers tried to return to the game after the injury happened.
Rodgers, who turns 42 in a matter of days, has to assume that this may be his last season. It’s most likely his last trip to Soldier Field, to face the biggest rivals of the team with which he won four MVP awards. He’s willing to risk further injury if it means not missing this specific game.
So what will it mean if Mason Rudolph starts instead of Rodgers?
One potential takeaway is that, if the injury is bad enough to keep Rodgers from playing today, it could be bad enough to keep him out for multiple weeks, until the bone heals to the point at which it’s safer for him to play.
Another potential takeaway is that the Steelers prefer a healthy Rudolph to a diminished Rodgers.
When Rudolph played last week against the Bengals, there was no real drop off. The offense was basically the same. The outcome was the same as it would have been if Rodgers had played. And Rudolph completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown.
That said, it will be a surprise if the Steelers don’t let Rodgers play. Especially if they believe that the risk of Rodgers suffering a more serious fracture is mitigated by the presence of Mason Rudolph.
Still, if Rodgers misses his Soldier Field swan song, it’s worth wondering about the message sent by the decision to sit one of the best quarterbacks in league history.
