Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered an injury to the wrist of his non-throwing hand late in the first half of Sunday’s home game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Backup Mason Rudolph took over in the second half and guided the offense the rest of the way during a 34-12 win.

The team initially acknowledged Rodgers’ injury as a hand ailment and classified him as questionable to return, but he did not again take the field.

“It’ll be evaluated (Monday) morning,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after the game of Rodgers’ wrist. “I’ll (release) more information (after the evaluation).”

While Rodgers was leading the Steelers to a field-goal drive to effectively close out the first half, twice the Bengals were flagged for roughing the passer.

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Rodgers appeared to suffer the injury on a play with 17 seconds to play in the half on the Steelers’ penultimate offensive snap. After an incomplete pass during which Rodgers was hit by Cincinnati defensive linemen Kris Jenkins Jr. and Miles Murphy, the Steelers used a timeout. Rodgers braced his fall with his left hand on the play, and it was after that when television replays showed Rodgers grimacing in pain as he held his left wrist. Rodgers stayed in for the ensuing play, an incomplete pass thrown out of bounds.

Rodgers retreated into the tunnel to the Steelers’ locker room after a Chris Boswell field goal gave the Steelers a 10-6 lead but before time had expired in the first half.

It was during a quick meeting at the end of the halftime break that Steelers offensive players were told Rudolph would be at quarterback, according to receiver Calvin Austin III.

Rudolph was taking warm-up snaps with starting center Zach Frazier before halftime ended. Rudolph, a seven-year veteran, is in his sixth season with the Steelers and has a 8-4-1 as a starter for them. After spending 2024 with the Tennessee Titans, Rudolph was brought back in March via a two-year, $7.5 million contract.

By coincidence, it was only the second time this season the Steelers had a third quarterback in uniform. Rookie sixth-round pick Will Howard was activated off the injured reserve list Wednesday and was in uniform as a pro for the first time. He could only enter the game under “emergency” circumstances if Rudolph was injured.

A 41-year-old four-time NFL MVP with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers is in his first season with the Steelers. Aside from a single game in 2010 because of a concussion, the only instances Rodgers has missed games because of injury over his 21 NFL seasons were seven games because of a broken clavicle in 2013, nine games because of a shoulder injury in 2017 and all but four snaps of the 2023 season with the New York Jets when he suffered a torn Achilles during the opener.

Rodgers’ 251 games played are tied for 14th-most all time and second among active players to Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell.

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