Aaron Rodgers isn’t playing in the preseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he will almost certainly be in uniform when his new team takes on his bitter ex, the New York Jets, in Week 1 of the regular season.
Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper relayed that Rodgers’ injury is a mild one that won’t threaten one of the NFL’s big-money matchups during opening week.
“Rodgers tore his left Achilles while playing his first game for the Jets in 2023 and missed the rest of the season. He dealt with a number of injuries last year, but started every game in his final season with the Jets. Tuesday’s issue doesn’t look like one that will affect his availability for the Steelers, so he’s still on track to be in the lineup against his former team in Week 1,” Alper wrote.
Rodgers still participated in practice after being stepped on during a team drill on Tuesday. He had a cut, got some ice, and went back out like nothing had happened. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin certainly didn’t sound bothered while discussing the issue.
“He just got stepped on. It was nothing of any significance. He finished his work,” Tomlin said of Rodgers getting stepped on.
Rodgers looks poised to play his final season in Pittsburgh, playing through any potential injury of this sort. Whether he has the tools around him to win anything of significance is its own question.
But anything short of another Achilles injury won’t prevent Rodgers from going all-in this season.
The Steelers are all in on him, too. If Rodgers misses time, journeyman Mason Rudolph or sixth-round rookie Will Howard gets the call under center.
