Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington is back at practice, surprising many after skipping Wednesday’s session due to a foot injury. Still, Aaron Rodgers’ 301 lbs weapon has a solid reason to push through the pain and get on the field quickly.  

“I’ve got a mortgage to pay,” Washington joked about what brought him back so soon.

In a clip posted by 93.7 The Fan on X, the third-round pick is doing ball protection drills with his squad. He looks very focused and prepared to dominate the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10. And honestly, his presence matters to the Steelers, considering how impressive he’s been in both blocking and passing plays.

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Yet, Darnell’s sudden comeback raises questions about whether he has truly recovered from his injury. Recently, the player was part of Pittsburgh’s injury report with a foot issue and didn’t practice earlier in the week. Additionally, head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t address it after the Week 9 match against the Colts.

But now that he’s back, the Steelers’ locker room must be quite thrilled. In the last game, Washington caught four passes for 43 yards from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. And overall, he has recorded 127 receiving yards, 20 targets, and one touchdown in eight games this season. 

We can’t say if it’s Darnell’s mortgage or pure passion driving him, but Pittsburgh definitely gets a firm boost to its offense. Meanwhile, the franchise has recently made a meaningful move by signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad. But he has a bigger reason to join the squad.

Aaron Rodgers leads Marquez to the team

Marquez openly credited Rodgers for his move to the six-time Super Bowl champions. The big reason?

He wanted to reunite with the QB who helped shape his career when they played together in Green Bay from 2018 to 2021. For the ex-49ers WR, it’s more than just another stop in his NFL career. 

“This guy [Rodgers] next to me got me here…He’s one of my closest friends in this NFL thing that I’ve ever made. He’s taught me a lot, so just being able to be around him again and get some more knowledge four years later, I’m excited about it,” Scantling said.

During their four seasons in Green Bay, the pair developed tight chemistry. Then, Marquez joined the Kansas City before turning to the Buffalo Bills after one season. He also spent time with the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers. Yet, the receiver believes Aaron Rodgers is “the best to ever play the game,” and the chance to reunite is too special to skip. 

As for his move to the Steelers’ practice squad, Aaron contacted Scantling before the trade deadline. That’s when Marquez expressed the desire to keep playing, and the NFL icon replied, “Let’s do it.” Now together in black and gold, both players are ready to repeat the history of their brilliant collaboration.