In a closely contested game with the Pittsburgh Steelers— one of their historic AFC North rivals — Cincinnati Bengals QB Aaron Rodgers, at 41 years old, broke his wrist. The severity of this injury sent shockwaves through the fan base and franchise alike. The injury occurred in the waning moments before halftime. Rodgers was sacked as he was throwing the ball away, falling heavily on his left wrist and hand. He looked to be in shock and there was blood dripping from his hand. He remained on the field for another play after the timeout.
At first, Rodgers was announced as having a hand injury, which raised questions about how serious the thing really was. STEELERS COACH MIKE TOMLIN confirmed that Rodgers had injured his wrist, leading to additional tests. Rodgers had an almost perfect game, going 27 of 31 for 327 yards and three touchdowns. He managed to go 12-of-16 for 127 yards and a TD, despite getting tackled on second-and-goal with seconds remaining in the first half.
In the final quarter, Rodgers found running back Kenneth Gainwell for a 5-yard scoring toss. The play was a powerful demonstration of his astounding recovery. Even while fighting through an injury, he captained the team with transformative impact. Plus, Chris Boswell made a 25-yard field goal in the first half of the game.
Rodgers’ injury was the one that got everyone’s attention. He left the sideline and went toward the locker room for further evaluation. After the game, conflicting reports emerged with the news that he would need additional tests Monday. These tests will determine the full extent of his injury and for how long he may be sidelined. The initial assessment revealed a slight break in his left, non-throwing wrist, raising questions about his availability for upcoming games.
Even with the injury scare, Rodgers remained upbeat about the way he played. At halftime, he informed teammate Mason Rudolph that he was going to come out to start the second half. His determination to continue playing even in pain showcased his commitment to the team and his competitive spirit.
“Mason’s proven in the past what he showed today,” – Mike Tomlin
Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III was impressed with Rodgers’ play on the field as well. Franklin pointed out that Rodgers showed tremendous poise and mastery in his game management even with the injury.
“Went through him all through the OTAs and everything. He came in and did exactly what we expect him to do and just dice up the defense and just spread the ball around.” – Calvin Austin III
As discussions about Rodgers’ future develop, Coach Tomlin addressed concerns about the quarterback’s condition but refrained from providing specific details.
“I don’t have the answer to that to be honest with you,” – Mike Tomlin
Other players who witnessed the play, such as Mason Rudolph, expressed a fear that the injury could be serious.
“I saw what you guys saw, which was [Rodgers] kind of go down gingerly a little bit, but I wasn’t sure severity, and I’m still really not sure, either,” – Mason Rudolph
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