3S. The field didn’t just go quiet — it died. When Aaron Rodgers dropped to one knee, gripping his wrist with that hollow, panicked look, every Steelers player felt the air get sucked out of the afternoon. No shouting. No whistles. Just the terrifying stillness that comes when a season’s fate suddenly hangs by a thread. Trainers rushed in, players circled, and then the diagnosis hit like a punch straight to the ribs: a severe wrist injury. Days before the Bears matchup. Days before everything was supposed to click.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ playoff push has hit a critical turbulence point.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has been steering the Steelers’ offense in their 2025 campaign, suffered a severe wrist injury during last week’s victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. While initial reports confirmed a fracture to his non-throwing (left) wrist, the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer has been adamant about playing through the pain.
However, in a move that has sent shockwaves through the AFC North, Head Coach Mike Tomlin appears ready to pivot—not to the veteran safety net of Mason Rudolph, but to the explosive rookie sensation who has been turning heads since training camp: Will Howard.
The Rookie with the “Video Game” Resume
The decision to potentially hand the keys to a rookie in Week 12 is a gamble, but Will Howard is no ordinary rookie.
Drafted in the 6th round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Howard arrived in Pittsburgh with a collegiate resume that reads like fiction. Between his tenures at Kansas State and Ohio State, Howard amassed a staggering total of nearly 12,000 yards of total offense (11,141 yards officially recorded by Ohio State, combining passing and rushing).
He is a dual-threat nightmare for defenses—a 6’4″, 235-pound tank who threw for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns in his final collegiate season while leading the Buckeyes to a national title. His ability to extend plays and punish defenses on the ground offers a dynamic the Steelers haven’t fully utilized this season.
Showdown at Soldier Field
The timing could not be more dramatic. The Steelers are set to face the Chicago Bears this Sunday at Soldier Field—a venue where Rodgers has famously claimed “ownership” of the home team.
If Howard starts, he steps into a high-pressure cooker against a Bears defense that has been opportunistic at home. But for Tomlin, the calculation seems clear: Rodgers’ mobility and ball security could be compromised by the fracture, while Howard offers a fully healthy, high-octane alternative that could spark a stagnating offense.
A Turning Point?
Critics are calling it a baptism by fire. Supporters are calling it the future arriving early.
“You don’t draft a guy with that kind of production to hold a clipboard forever,” one team insider noted. “If Aaron can’t protect himself, you unleash the kid.”
Sunday’s game in Chicago was supposed to be Rodgers’ victory lap against his oldest rival. Instead, it might just be the day the Pittsburgh Steelers officially turn the page.
