Steelers' Mike Tomlin Detailed What Aaron Rodgers Told Him After Mason Rudolph's Win

The Pittsburgh Steelers got a bounce-back win in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals, winning 34-12. At halftime, it was revealed that quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be questionable to return with a hand injury. He sat out the second half, and backup quarterback Mason Rudolph stepped in and guided the team to a decisive victory. 

Rudolph delivered an efficient performance, completing 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown, giving the Steelers exactly what they needed to close out the game. The Steelers defense also did a much better job this time around against the Bengals’ high-powered offense, limiting them to just 12 points. Rudolph was efficient and composed as he helped guide Pittsburgh past its AFC North rival, pushing the team to 6-4 in the 2025 season.

After the win, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke with members of the media and was immediately asked whether he had talked to Rodgers about the injury or about the overall performance. 

Tomlin kept his tone measured and avoided any dramatic declarations, but he did offer a small update on Rodgers’ condition. While he did not go into detail, his comments suggested that Rodgers remained involved after the win and shared a brief message with Tomlin after the game, which quickly drew attention from fans looking for clarity.

"I was," Tomlin said when asked if he talked with his quarterback. "He was excited about the win. I just talked to him, but that's all we talked about. We didn't talk about his injury. We did talk about the significance of the win."

Many fans are now curious about Rodgers’ status going forward, especially after Rudolph’s strong showing. Some are even beginning to raise the idea of Rudolph remaining the starter if Rodgers needs additional time to recover or if the coaching staff wants to ride the hot hand. 

It is too early to make any firm decisions, but Rudolph’s poise and execution have added a new layer to the Steelers’ quarterback conversation and created an intriguing storyline heading into the next week. Tomlin was asked just how significant this win was, and he went into detail in typical Tomlin fashion.

"It's perspective," Tomlin said. "It feels good right now, but it's about what happens moving forward and it always is. That's just the nature of this thing. It's sweet today but tomorrow we got back to work. There's big business waiting on us next week."

Rodgers went 9 of 15 for 116 passing yards and one touchdown. He did not turn the ball over, but the offense seemed to open up a little more with Rudolph in the game. 

Still, that may have been more a result of chance and how the game was unfolding. The Bengals’ defense is not particularly strong, and they actually came out hot in this divisional matchup.

Steelers Awaiting Update On Aaron Rodgers' Hand Injury

As the game wore on, the Bengals began to struggle more and more, which naturally made things a bit easier for Rudolph. It is safe to say Rodgers likely would have had a similar, if not better, performance in the second half had he been healthy.

Still, this sets up some debate about the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh. Many Steelers fans are first waiting to get a clear update on the status of Rodgers’ hand injury before diving into any bigger conversations about the starter. The Steelers got a much needed win at home but now they could be without Rodgers.