Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Makes It Clear: Mason Rudolph Is The Backup Pittsburgh Can Trust

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a statement win against their division rival Cincinnati Bengals, winning 34-12 in a game where the Steelers seemed to click on all sides of the ball. They revenge on the Bengals after Cincy won the first meeting between the two teams in 2025, and the recent win solidified the Steelers atop the AFC North. Despite the dominant showing against the Bengals, the Steelers' next game against the Chicago Bears looms large for a very major reason. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was forced to leave the last game with an injury to his left wrist that forced the team to turn to backup quarterback Mason Rudolph to finish the contest, performing well in the time he saw the field.

Currently, the Steelers are unsure which quarterback will be starting against the Bears. Despite reports that Rodgers seems to be trending in the right direction, there are some who believe Rodgers should rest this game and allow Rudolph to get the start. This was something Rodgers himself was recently asked about when he last spoke to the media. 

Rodgers was asked about what kind of role Rudolph would have should he not be the starter this week, and his comments on Rudolph speak volumes for how much he believes in him.

"He's a great backup, you know, he's super helpful during the week, he's a professional, he's ready to play, he's a gamer," Rodgers said. "And watching in the locker room last week, I was super fired up watching him go up and down the field on those couple of drives he had, and thankful for the way he played, the way he prepares. He's a lot more Type A, I would say, than I am with the preparation. He's wound a little tight, but it makes for a good backup quarterback because he's so in tune to the details, I just love being around him."

The fact that Rodgers can say what he does about Rudolph should be a sign of encouragement to Steelers fans who might be worried about Rudolph starting against the Bears. Even against the Bengals, Rudolph had a solid performance, throwing for 127 yards and a touchdown, keeping the ball clean and not forcing pass attempts down the field that could end up in the wrong hands. Rodgers trusts Rudolph to carry the team forward should he be unable to play against the Bears, and seemingly for the foreseeable future should Rodgers need more time to heal.

The important sign to recognize is that Rodgers has a lot of faith in Rudolph's ability to play at a high level, but his comments can also indicate that Rodgers believes in Rudolph's ability to lead the team through any situation that they may end up facing. Rudolph has shown that he can lead the Steelers to wins in the past, and this level of trust is certainly reciprocated by Rodgers. 

Rodgers' comments on Rudolph only reinforce that the Steelers have a pivotal decision to make regarding the upcoming game against the Bears, especially with the uncertainty around Rodgers' status at the moment.

Steelers Need To Be Cautious With Rodgers' Injury

Even with the reports coming out that Rodgers might be given the green light to play against the Bears, the Steelers need to step back and look at the bigger picture. Keeping Rodgers as healthy as possible going forward should be the primary goal, especially with the tougher games coming up to end the regular season. If the Steelers want to remain as competitive as possible, Rodgers needs to be the starting quarterback, and potentially sending him into a game against the Bears when he isn't ready could spell disaster.

The Steelers would benefit well from trusting Rodgers' comments on Rudolph and give him the starting role to ensure Rodgers is as healthy as possible going into the late stretch of regular season games and potentially into the playoffs.

What did you think about Rodgers' comments on Rudolph? Let us know in the comments below.

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