Aaron Rodgers is not fazed by much, least of all a broken wrist. The Steelers’ quarterback broke a bone in his left wrist while playing against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday and missed practice on Wednesday. However, A-Rod was back on the field in a limited capacity for the team’s Thursday and Friday practices. Having witnessed Rodgers during those sessions, Pittsburgh’s third-stringer, Will Howard, credited the 41-year-old veteran’s endurance.

“He’s got some pretty unbelievable pain tolerance,” Howard said during media availability. “Knowing what kind of pain comes with that injury, like I’ve broken my hands before, broken my arms before, it’s painful, man. The fact that he’s out there going through reps, it says a lot about his pain tolerance. He’s a tough dude.”

According to head coach Mike Tomlin, the veteran QB won’t need surgery. However, A-Rod is listed as questionable for the Steelers’ faceoff against the Bears on Sunday.

“I thought I saw a solid effort, but it’s Friday, so we’ve still got some time,” Tomlin said via the team’s official site. “He was listed as a partial participant and given a questionable designation. And we’ll see where the weekend leads us.”

Aaron Rodgers’ toughness may have left an impression on Will Howard and the rest of the team, but he will not line up under center unless he’s medically cleared. Considering the injury is on his non-throwing arm, history indicates he could play through the pain just as he did in 2022 with a broken thumb on his throwing arm.

Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears would be Rodgers’ first against them while not wearing Packers colors. Rodgers’ competitive and perhaps antagonistic rivalry with the Bears could make for an entertaining watch. But what do the Steelers plan to do if the veteran is declared unfit?

Aaron Rodgers feels Mason Rudolph is ready to play

Aaron Rodgers maintains a very good relationship with his backup QB, Mason Rudolph. The duo constantly banter and have mutual respect on the field. An amused A-Rod reflected on his relationship with the second-stringer, sharing some highlights of their time in the quarterback room.

“We joke in the quarterback room [that] he’s got a checklist of the jokes he’s gotta get off and out of his brain every single day. But he’s hilarious and I really enjoy our time together in the room, outside the facility,” he said. “He’s [Rudolph] a great backup. He’s a great backup. He’s super helpful during the week, he’s a professional, he’s ready to play. He’s a gamer.”

If Aaron Rodgers is not given the go-ahead, the Steelers will be prepared to have Mason Rudolph at the helm on Sunday. With his experience as a starter, the QB is no stranger to the spotlight. After re-signing with the team during the offseason, he got in on the action after A-Rod’s exit against the Bengals last week.

Rudolph delivered when it was needed the most, completing 12 of his 16 passes for 27 yards, with two possessions and a touchdown.

At present, the 6-4 Steelers will need more of the same confidence as they make their playoff push. Do you think the Pittsburgh Steelers will make it to the playoffs?