Aaron Rodgers is winning games for the Steelers, but he’s also fighting a battle off the field, with his own training staff. He sustained a wrist injury back in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, he missed the next game against the Chicago Bears but has played the last three games. And now, more than a month after he sustained the injury, Rodgers just revealed that the setback is still holding him back.

“It’s still not 100%,” Aaron Rodgers said while talking about his injury in a presser after practice on December 17. “I’m having battles with the training staff – happy battles, not knock-down drag-out battles. But trying to feel more normal. So, to go to practices like today without anything on my wrist, it’s still not without some pain with certain movements. But I’m trying to get the strength back and all those little muscles that have been unused for a number of weeks.” 

So, Aaron Rodgers admitted he has been going back and forth with the training staff. Nothing dramatic, he said. Just ongoing discussions. Rodgers wants to practice and play without a brace. The staff wants to be careful. That tension is understandable, right?

However, the 42-year-old also revealed that he can practice without anything on his wrist. But it comes at a cost. Certain movements still hurt as some muscles haven’t been used in weeks. He now has to rebuild strength slowly. So, according to him, it’s still a “work in progress.”

In the Week 11 game, a sack by a Bengals player caused Aaron Rodgers’ hand to land awkwardly, which led to the wrist injury. After that, he had been wearing a cast in every game. But in Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins, he switched to wearing just a pad on his injury. That alone shows progress. Even more important, he can now take snaps under center in Pittsburgh. 

That progress in the veteran QB’s condition has opened up Pittsburgh’s offense in a big way, and the results followed quickly. Pittsburgh beat Miami 28-15 recently, and the offense looked sharper. Rodgers looked more comfortable, and some analysts even started whispering about a possible Super Bowl run. 

Can Aaron Rodgers still lead the Steelers into the playoffs with his wrist injury?

After a shaky return against the Buffalo Bills on November 30, Rodgers has settled in. Over his last two games, he threw for 508 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. That’s vintage efficiency. Still, Rodgers just admitted he doesn’t know when he’ll ditch the padding completely.

“Last week was obviously just a little pad on top of it,” said Aaron Rodgers. “Not sure what this week’s going to be. But hopefully, at some point, there’s not going to be anything on my wrist.”

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That uncertainty is concerning. Can Aaron Rodgers keep pushing through pain week after week? And should he? From a football standpoint, the signs have been encouraging with him. Despite the injury, he recently led the Steelers to two straight wins. At this stage, the setback is no longer about safety. It’s about tolerance and toughness. 

Moreover, Aaron Rodgers has delivered when the Steelers needed him most. He has kept them in the AFC North race with three games left. That’s not easy under any circumstances. Still, while the path to the playoffs is clear, it’s also difficult for the Steelers now. The team sits at 8-6 and winning out would likely secure a playoff spot. Next up is a tough road game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday.