Aaron Rodgers Wants To Play Against The Chicago Bears With A Fractured Wrist

He broke his wrist on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, but Aaron Rodgers wants to play against the Chicago Bears this weekend, so, go ahead Mike Tomlin, tell him he can't.

That's the situation the Steelers coach faces with his 41-year-old quarterback this week. 

Dublin , Ireland - 28 September 2025; Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #8 of Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2025 NFL International Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin. (Photo By Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Steelers Confirm Rodgers Wrist Fractured

Tomlin on Tuesday confirmed to reporters that Rodgers does indeed have a fractured left wrist. And the quarterback will not require surgery, but he won't practice early this week, the coach added.

So the next big question is whether Rodgers will play on Sunday against the Bears. Which he definitely wants to do because he's told multiple teammates that is his hope and desire.

And it's not because he owns the Chicago Bears.

"Really, it's just about bracing and securing it for his comfort and safety," Tomlin said. "And then, it's about how functional he is."

The Steelers will spend some time the next day or so figuring out how functional Rodgers is with a brace over his wrist. It may sound like a dicey exercise, but come on, this has been done before.

Bradshaw Played With Fractured Wrist

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw played much of the 1977 season with a hairline fracture on his left wrist. He played 14 games that season.

And, no, it didn't go great. Bradshaw threw 17 TD passes and 19 interceptions and the Steelers were 9-5 in the games he started. The Steelers qualified for the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round.

But don't judge the statistics of that time against today. Bradshaw threw 20 interceptions the next year in helping the Steelers win the first of another pair of Super Bowls. 

The point is what Rodgers wants to do has been done before.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 04: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on January 04, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Tomlin: Rodgers Doesn't Need Practice

Tomlin knows this even as his quarterback will miss practice time this week. 

"He’s the type of guy and has the type of profile that doesn’t require a lot of physical work in an effort to be ready to play," Tomlin said.

Mason Rudolph and Will Howard will "get quality work" early in the week, Tomlin said. But it’s hard to imagine Tomlin not letting Rodgers play if the quarterback shows he can indeed protect himself. The Steelers are in first place in the AFC North, but the Baltimore Ravens are rallying.

"Aaron always wants to play," Tomlin said. "Opponent has nothing to do with it. It's his love affair with the game of football."

Yeah, but, Rodgers really loves playing against the Bears.

By the way, the first time Rodgers made his feelings known about owning Chicago came in 2021. He got a lot of scrutiny for being so brazen, but he stood by his words.

The Packers swept the Bears that year, including a 45-30 victory in Green Bay. Rodgers threw four TD passes in that game. 

He played that game with a fractured toe.