This Sunday, Aaron Rodgers made an interesting entrance back to his old neighborhood, giving photographers a one-finger salute.
In a build-up to the Steelers’ Week 12 matchup against the Bears in Chicago, Rodgers, who had a remarkable record against Chicago while with the Packers, was seen circling Soldier Field before the game started. Despite his history of winning 24 regular-season matches against the Bears, he was ruled out of the game due to a wrist injury, leading the Steelers’ long-time backup, Mason Rudolph, to take the starting position.
A segment on “SportsCenter with SVP” featured Rodgers turning off the camera just before the Steelers-Bears game. It raised some eyebrows—one host even questioned if the gesture needed to be pixelated, suggesting it probably wouldn’t bother anyone.
Ultimately, Pittsburgh lost to Chicago, 31-28, bringing their record to 6-5 for the season.
Rodgers, 41, has been eager to face the Bears again, especially since he hinted earlier this year that this might be his final season in the NFL. He had left the previous week’s game against the Bengals because of his wrist injury, making his participation in this game uncertain.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin later confirmed that surgery wouldn’t be necessary for the injury. “It’s all about providing comfort and security for him,” Tomlin said, explaining that they wanted to ensure he was functional and safe.
As the Steelers find themselves in second place in the AFC North, trailing the Ravens—who have rallied from a rocky start to the season—they’ll need a bit of luck to enhance their playoff chances.
This recent loss placed Pittsburgh at the No. 8 seed in playoff standings, with a 28% chance of making it to the postseason, according to NFL.com.
Looking ahead, the Steelers have a matchup against the Bills next Sunday, which could be crucial for their season.
