Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Blames Several Players For Hail Mary Mistake: "We Weren't All In The Right Spot"

The Pittsburgh Steelers came up short in their road loss in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 33-31 defeat on Thursday Night Football dropped Pittsburgh to 4-2 on the season and gave the Bengals new life in the AFC North. It was a closely contested game from start to finish, and despite the loss, the Steelers showed resilience and kept the contest competitive against a high-powered Bengals offense.

Aaron Rodgers played well for most of the game, aside from throwing two interceptions. He passed for 249 yards, completed 67.6% of his passes, and threw four touchdowns. While the interceptions weren’t ideal, Rodgers did enough to keep the Steelers in the game, even as the defense allowed 470 total yards of offense. His performance put Pittsburgh in a position to win, showing that even at 41 years old, he still possesses elite arm talent and the ability to make high-pressure plays.

As time expired, Rodgers had one final chance to display that talent with a Hail Mary attempt. He launched the ball perfectly, but according to Rodgers, not many Steelers players were in the right spot. Speaking to the Pittsburgh media, Rodgers talked more in depth about that final pass against the Bengals. 

"Ball came off good," Rodgers said to the Pittsburgh media. "Felt like was trying to get to my spot. Best throw of my life was 2015 Hail Mary. Although it didn’t go as far, it went way the (heck) higher. Almost hit the rafter at Ford Field."

Rodgers recalled that the greatest throw of his career likely came in the 2015 victory over the Detroit Lions, the famous game where he connected with Richard Rodgers for a 61-yard Hail Mary to win the game. 

He also shared more details about the failed Hail Mary attempt against Cincinnati, explaining what went wrong and why the play didn’t come together as planned.

"I thought we had a chance (in Cincinnati)," Rodgers said to the media. "We need to be a little tighter in some of those end-of-game situations. I’m trying to throw the ball 2 yards deep in the end zone on that play and we weren’t all in the right spot at the right time. We have to have everyone on the same page in those crunch-time situations. You might only get them 1-2 times a season, and you have to be perfect."

Rodgers made sure to emphasize that he wasn’t criticizing his teammates or wide receivers, but rather offering an honest explanation. On a low-percentage throw like a Hail Mary, there’s literally zero room for error, and Rodgers simply noticed his receivers weren’t in the optimal positions to make the play successful.

Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Continues To Show Great Leadership In Pittsburgh

Many Steelers fans were worried when news broke that the team was interested in Rodgers in the 2025 offseason. They assumed he would be a distraction, too old, or not a good teammate. Rodgers has been the complete opposite. 

While he has had to demonstrate leadership at times, whether it was Broderick Jones tackling him during a celebration or a player being out of position, he is holding professionals accountable and has earned the right to do so. Rodgers knows the Hail Mary throw better than anyone, and it is wise to listen to him.

What did you think when you saw Aaron Rodgers lob up that Hail Mary attempt against the Bengals? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.

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