Steelers OC Arthur Smith has 'trust' in QB Aaron Rodgers' decision about starting status for Bears

Aaron Rodgers returned to practice Thursday, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are no closer to resolving the identity of their starting quarterback Sunday than they were a day earlier when the work week started.

Wearing a protective covering over his injured left wrist, Rodgers was limited to individual drills in practice. Although he threw passes, he did not take any snaps from center Zach Frazier.

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, though, is more concerned with what he hears from Rodgers than what he sees on the practice field in evaluating whether the 41-year-old quarterback can start Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

“I just trust him,” Smith said Thursday. “This isn’t his first rodeo. Every player is different. It’s not like I’ve been with him a number of years, but I have a lot of trust in Aaron. He knows how to prepare. I’ve been in different circumstances like this before. Whatever happens, we’ll be good either way.”

Injured before halftime last Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rodgers is trying to avoid missing his first game of the season. He has started 27 consecutive games since the start of the 2024 season but watched Mason Rudolph polish off a 34-12 win against the Bengals. Rudolph will make his first start of the season in the event Rodgers isn’t cleared to play.

In his second year overseeing the Steelers offense, Smith doesn’t have to delve far into his memory bank to find an example of getting two quarterbacks prepared to start a game. Early last season when Russell Wilson’s status was in limbo, Smith designed plays with Wilson and backup Justin Fields in mind.

“That’s why you always have contingency plans, and we’ll see how the week unfolds,” Smith said. “It’s my job to be ready either way.”

Rudolph took all the first-team snaps Wednesday when Rodgers spent the day working with the strength and conditioning staff. The list of plays used by Rudolph may vary slightly, but the offensive scheme Smith has devised with the Bears defense in mind won’t change.

“The overall strategy, no,” Smith said regarding changes, “but maybe certain plays you call depending on who is out there.”

As the backup, Rudolph goes over the play sheet weekly and details the plays he likes for the upcoming opponent. Rudolph said he gives his play preferences to Smith late in the week. He ranks them, one through three in order of his liking.

“It isn’t a huge transition with Arthur to go from one guy to the next,” Rudolph said.

Smith has spent the past 15 seasons working in the NFL as a position assistant, coordinator and head coach. He learned early on to be prepared for anything, and that was reinforced during the pandemic.

“The reality of the NFL is bizarre things just happen on Fridays and Saturday and even Sunday morning,” Smith said. “If you’re a player, you have to prepare that you’re starting. That’s your job. In 2020-21, you never knew who was going to be up. That is the way with quarterbacks and why you spend a lot of time in preparation for that. … You don’t want to be caught where you’re hoping something doesn’t happen.”

In other circumstances, it might be an adjustment for the backup quarterback to take snaps from the starting center. Rudolph and Rodgers were on equal footing with Frazier because neither was with the Steelers last year when Frazier was a rookie. Rudolph, though, took the first-team reps in organized team activities and minicamp. Rodgers got up to speed working with Frazier in training camp and during the regular season.

“Whoever is out there, we’ll feel confident that they can go out there and help us win a game,” Frazier said.

Because of that experience, members of the offensive line aren’t concerned if the quarterback decision isn’t determined until Sunday morning.

“In some instances, it might be tough, but we feel like we’ve played and been around Mason and Aaron enough to know who they are and what they like,” second-year guard Mason McCormick said. “It shouldn’t be that big of a challenge.”

Rookie Will Howard, activated from injured reserve last week, has taken snaps in team portions of practice for the first time since he was injured in training camp. He potentially could be one snap away from playing against the Bears.

“All of it is getting your feet back under you,” Howard said. “You want to be mentally prepared. Actually going out and doing it is different. It’s been great. You can take the mental reps, but you can’t replicate those physical reps against the defense.”