The Chicago Bears will aim for their eighth win of the season when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. They're, unfortunately, more than familiar with Aaron Rodgers, which is why his availability will be such a big talking point this week.
Rodgers, who claims "ownership" of the franchise and has had his fair share of success against the Bears, sustained a left wrist injury in the win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Even so, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that he's still trying to suit up on Sunday:
"Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers underwent further tests Monday that confirmed he won’t need surgery on his fractured left wrist," Pelissero wrote on X. "Rodgers is pushing to play Sunday at Chicago. But doctors must clear him and his status moving is TBD."
Aaron Rodgers’ Status for Sunday Is Still Up in the Air
Rodgers had to leave the game on Sunday, and while he reportedly wanted to push through it and return, head coach Mike Tomlin chose to err on the side of caution by sending Mason Rudolph in to replace him. Now, Tomlin is not ready to make any commitments about whether he'll play against the Bears or not:
"Really, it's just about bracing and securing it for his comfort and safety," Tomlin said, per Brooke Pryor of ESPN. "And then, it's about how functional he is. Functionality is a component of it. I don't need it for my comfort, but I certainly need it for functionality, and functionality is a major component of whether or not he gets an opportunity this week. It's about stabilizing it; it's about making sure that he can manage the pain -- that doesn't appear to be an issue."
If Rodgers can't suit up, Rudolph will most likely be up for a spot start. He completed 12-of-16 passes for 127 yards in Rodgers' absence, and he's more than familiar with the offense after spending most of his career with the organization.
Rodgers Doesn't Care About Facing the Bears
Rodgers has always been persona non grata in Chicago, and it's clear he often tries to make a statement against his former divisional rivals. Nonetheless, Coach Tomlin wanted to shut down that notion, claiming that it would be just another game for the former Green Bay Packers star.
"Aaron always wants to play," Tomlin said. "Opponent has nothing to do with it. It's his love affair with the game of football."
This might be Rodgers' final game vs. the Bears, and that's music to Bears' fans' ears. He's 24-5 against the Bears in the regular season and 26-5 overall. He's completed 67% of his passes for 6,965 passing yards and has 64 touchdowns against ten interceptions in 29 regular-season matchups against the Bears.
However, Rodgers hasn't faced the Bears since 2022, and while he's one of the greatest to ever do it, he's clearly not at the peak of his powers anymore. This season, he's completed 66.4% of his passes for 1,969 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions with a Pro Football Focus grade of 61.3, which ranks 31st among 38 eligible quarterbacks. He'll face the league leaders in takeaways (22) and interceptions (15), and it could be a long day for him if he's not at full strength.