The Chicago Bears are on a run, but there’s an old nemesis waiting for them in Week 12. Aaron Rodgers practiced on Thursday, according to reports — which very well could mean that he’s able to suit up for the Steelers in a critical game for the Bears to keep their playoff hopes intact.
Initially it seemed like Rodgers would be out with a left injury, after heading to the locker room in the first half of Week 11 against the Bengals, but the Steelers QB clarified this week that it was less of an injury problem, as much as it was an issue with pain management. This opened the door for him to play this weekend, or at the very least be a game time decision for Pittsburgh.
This is horrible news for Chicago, and that’s entirely because of Rodgers’ history against Chicago. Since entering the league in 2005 he holds a 25-5 record against the Bears (including the playoffs), which is the best head-to-head record in the NFL by an active quarterback. For years in Green Bay he had Chicago’s number, often celebrating his dominance against the franchise by suggesting he “still owned” the Bears as recently as 2021.
Now Rodgers has changed his tune, wanting to move away from that era in his career and stop the acrimony with the former rival.
“I mean, I’m not in Green Bay anymore,” he told Pittsburgh reporters Wednesday. “I feel like we can let bygones be bygones, maybe. I can, I guess.”
This has been a down year for Rodgers, much as it was with the Jets in 2024 — but despite being on the downswing of his career, the future Hall of Fame QB is still fighting for a playoff spot with Pittsburgh, making this week critical. We’ll need to wait and see if his lack of tru hatred for Chicago has an impact when the teams face off on Sunday.
