Two weeks after fracturing his wrist against Cincinnati, Aaron Rodgers returned to full practice Thursday, his injury wrapped but his readiness apparent — a quiet signal that the Steelers intend to meet Buffalo with their starting quarterback intact. Around him, a roster in various states of mending reassembled on the practice field, each player's return a small negotiation between the body's limits and the team's ambitions. Pittsburgh enters Sunday's game not whole, but moving in that direction, carrying with it the unresolved lessons of a loss to Chicago that its defensive coordinator has ch
Rodgers returns to full practice, eyes Bills matchup
Feedback is always good—I'd rather have guys who want to improve
Mark
So Rodgers is back at full practice—does that mean he's definitely playing Sunday?
Mimi
Not quite. Full practice is the green light that he's healing and moving the way he needs to. But the Steelers will likely wait until Friday or Saturday to officially clear him. The wrap is there, the wrist is still fractured—they're being careful.
Mark
What's the significance of him not wearing a brace when he talked to reporters Wednesday?
Mimi
It's a signal. If he's comfortable enough to go without it in front of cameras, he's probably feeling better than the previous day. But they put the wrap back on for practice—that's the actual protection he needs when he's throwing and moving.
Mark
The team lost Derrick Harmon for this game. How big a hole is that?
Mimi
It's not catastrophic, but it matters. He's a reliable piece on the line. Now they're looking at a rookie, a guy who's been inactive for weeks, and someone they just signed off another team's practice squad. One of those guys has to step up.
Mark
Austin seemed pretty relaxed about Patrick Queen calling out the defense after the Chicago loss.
Mimi
He was. That's actually a healthy sign. Austin sees it as the defense caring enough to want to improve, not as players undermining him. If everyone just accepted losses quietly, that would be worse.
Mark
So the Bills game is a chance to prove those corrections work?
Mimi
Exactly. They've had the tape, they've had the conversations. Now they have to execute it against a real opponent. That's where theory meets reality.
The Pulse
- Rodgers practiced fully for the first time in fourteen days, his taped wrist the only outward sign of the fracture that had kept him sidelined — his return shifts the Steelers' outlook for Sunday from uncertain to cautiously confident.
- A wave of veterans rejoined practice alongside him — Metcalf, Highsmith, Watt, Seumalo, and Smith — restoring depth to a roster that had been thinned by a string of overlapping injuries.
- Derrick Harmon's knee has officially ruled him out against Buffalo, leaving a hole on the defensive line that coordinator Teryl Austin is scrambling to fill from a thin pool of rookies, second-year players, and a recent practice-squad addition.
- The ghost of last week's loss to Chicago still lingers — linebacker Patrick Queen's pointed postgame remarks about defensive miscommunication have been absorbed rather than deflected, with Austin framing player feedback as a tool for correction rather than a source of tension.
- Sunday's game against the Bills will serve as the first real measure of whether Pittsburgh's mid-week repairs — physical and philosophical — have translated into something durable.
Two weeks after fracturing his wrist against Cincinnati, Aaron Rodgers returned to full practice Thursday, his injury wrapped but his readiness apparent — a quiet signal that the Steelers intend to meet Buffalo with their starting quarterback intact. Around him, a roster in various states of mending reassembled on the practice field, each player's return a small negotiation between the body's limits and the team's ambitions. Pittsburgh enters Sunday's game not whole, but moving in that direction, carrying with it the unresolved lessons of a loss to Chicago that its defensive coordinator has chosen to treat not as embarrassment, but as instruction.
Aaron Rodgers walked through a full Thursday practice with his fractured left wrist wrapped in black tape — the first extended session he'd completed since injuring it two weeks ago against Cincinnati. The day before, he hadn't worn a brace at all when speaking to reporters; by Thursday, both the wrap and his full participation were in place. The Steelers haven't officially confirmed his status for Sunday's home game against Buffalo, but the trajectory is clear.
Rodgers wasn't the only one returning. DK Metcalf, Alex Highsmith, Isaac Seumalo, Jonnu Smith, and T.J. Watt all practiced after missing or being limited Wednesday. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. remained limited for a second straight day with a hip flexor issue, and three players sat out entirely — Ben Skowronek, Broderick Jones, and Derrick Harmon, the latter two already ruled out for Sunday.
Harmon's absence leaves a gap on the defensive line that coordinator Teryl Austin is working to fill. Rookie Yahya Black, who has dressed for every game this season, holds the inside track for the base defense rotation. Second-year lineman Logan Lee, inactive for seven weeks, and Brodric Martin-Rhodes — signed recently off Kansas City's practice squad — are competing for a roster spot. Austin said he's watching how the candidates finish out the week before making decisions.
Austin also addressed the fallout from last week's 31-28 loss to Chicago, where linebacker Patrick Queen publicly noted that the defense had recognized opposing plays but wasn't in position to stop them. Rather than push back, Austin embraced it. 'Feedback is always good,' he said, describing a preference for players who want to solve problems over those who simply give up. Film review has given the team a clearer picture of what went wrong, and the Bills game will be the first test of whether those corrections have taken hold.
Aaron Rodgers took the field for a full practice Thursday afternoon, his left wrist wrapped in fresh black tape—a visible marker of the fracture he sustained two weeks earlier in the first half against Cincinnati. For the Steelers quarterback, it was the first time in fourteen days he'd moved through an extended practice without limitation, a meaningful step toward suiting up Sunday against Buffalo at Acrisure Stadium.
The injury had sidelined him from Wednesday's session entirely, and when he spoke to reporters that day, he wasn't wearing any brace at all. By Thursday, the wrap was in place, and so was his full participation. The signal matters: Rodgers is tracking toward game readiness, though the team will likely wait until closer to Sunday to confirm his status.
Rodgers wasn't alone in returning to action. Wide receiver DK Metcalf, held out Wednesday with ankle discomfort, was back on the field. So were outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, dealing with a pectoral issue; guard Isaac Seumalo; tight end Jonnu Smith; and T.J. Watt, the team's star pass rusher. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. remained limited for the second consecutive day, his hip flexor still bothering him. Three players didn't practice at all: wide receiver Ben Skowronek (shoulder), tackle Broderick Jones (neck), and defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee). Jones and Harmon have already been ruled out for the Bills game.
The loss of Harmon creates a gap on the defensive line that defensive coordinator Teryl Austin will need to fill. The candidates are a mix of youth and recent arrivals: rookie Yahya Black, who has suited up for every game this season; second-year lineman Logan Lee, who has been inactive for seven weeks; Esezi Otomewo, who has appeared in six games; and Brodric Martin-Rhodes, signed off Kansas City's practice squad just recently. Black has the inside track for the base defense rotation, while Lee and Martin-Rhodes will compete for a spot on the game-day roster. "We have guys rotating around to see who can replace him," Austin said, adding that he's eager to evaluate how the candidates finish out the week's practice.
The defensive coordinator also addressed a moment of friction from the previous week's loss to Chicago. Inside linebacker Patrick Queen had suggested after the 31-28 defeat that the defense understood the opposing plays but wasn't positioned correctly to stop them. Rather than bristle at the criticism, Austin welcomed it. "Feedback is always good," he said. "I'd much rather have guys that have some feedback and want to know, 'Hey, how can we make this better' than guys who go, 'Ugh,' and just throw their hands up in the air." He believes the team has a clearer picture now of how to correct those breakdowns after reviewing film together, with input flowing both from coaches and players. The Bills matchup will be the first real test of whether those corrections stick.
Notable Quotes
We have guys rotating around to see who can replace him. I'm excited to see how guys finish up practice this week and decide who is going to be the guy to get the helmet.— Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin on filling the void left by Derrick Harmon's injury
Feedback is always good. I'd much rather have guys that have some feedback and want to know how we can make this better than guys who just throw their hands up in the air.— Teryl Austin on Patrick Queen's post-game comments about defensive positioning
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