n Rodgers practices with brace on his broken wrist, questionable vs. Bears

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers practiced with his broken left wrist in a brace on Friday, opening the door for him to play when the Steelers visit Chicago on Sunday. Coach Mike Tomlin said Rodgers was able to practice in a limited capacity and didn't appear to have any major issues with the brace on his left wrist, which Rodgers broke late in the second quarter of a 34-12 win over Cincinnati last weekend. Tomlin said Rodgers is questionable as Pittsburgh (6-4) tries to win in Chicago (7-3) for just the second time in franchise history. "I thought I saw a solid effort, but it's Friday and so we still got some time," Tomlin said. Tomlin and Rodgers both stressed this week that Rodgers' ability to protect himself will play a significant role in the decision on whether the 41-year-old will play. Mason Rudolph will start if Rodgers, who is 24-5 all-time against Chicago, including an 11-1 mark at Soldier Field, is unable to go. Asked how he weighs choosing between a starter at less than 100% and a capable backup — Rudolph is unbeaten in his last three starts with Pittsburgh and was excellent after coming on for Rodgers against Cincinnati — Tomlin shrugged. "It's thoughtful decision-making that you go through almost routinely, particularly this time of year when you get into the meat of things," he said. Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard, who spent the first half of the season on injured reserve with a hand injury suffered in training camp, thinks it's impressive that Rodgers is even in the mix just days after landing awkwardly on his left hand. "The fact that he's out there and going through reps (today), it says a lot about his pain tolerance," Howard said. "He's a tough dude, man." Rodgers, the most sacked quarterback in NFL history, has been highly durable during his 21-year career. He missed time in 2013 and 2017 with a broken collarbone while playing for Green Bay and sat out all but four snaps of his first season with the New York Jets in 2023 due to a torn Achilles. Otherwise, he has largely avoided injury during a career in which he has won four MVPs and a Super Bowl. He's been a thorn in the side of the Bears for well over a decade, dating from his highly successful run as the starting quarterback in Green Bay from 2008-22. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl