Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was taken out of the game against the Buffalo Bills after a brutal hit from Joey Bosa left him bloodied and on the ground. This resulted in a scoop and score for Buffalo at the start of the second half, leading to a 26-7 defeat for Pittsburgh, their third home loss.
Rodgers was caught off guard by Bosa from behind, causing the ball to fly out. Buffalo quickly recovered it, with Christian Benford scoring his first career defensive touchdown during the opening play of the second half. Rodgers remained face-down on the pitch for some time as his teammates rushed to his aid.
When he finally rolled over, his nose was broken and bleeding down his facemask.
Steelers’ medical staff immediately escorted Rodgers into the blue tent, while his team-mates looked on and backup QB Mason Rudolph prepared to enter the game.
Eventually, Rodgers emerged from the tent with bandages taped across his face and without his helmet. The captain had already been playing through broken bones in his wrist that had kept him out of the game against Chicago, after leaving his team’s 34-12 victory over the Bengals in the first half of Week 11.
After Rodgers left the tent, in-game sideline reporters provided a medical update, suggesting that despite his wrist injuries, he was likely to continue playing. He returned to the game after Rudolph’s unsuccessful attempts, which included an interception on a pass to Darnell Washington, also caught by Benford.
Rodgers’ first pass after leaving the tent, an incomplete swing to Kenneth Gainwell, led to the Steelers punting two plays later. This gave Buffalo a short field, setting them up for a historic moment.
Allen finished a challenging 15-play drive with an 8-yard rush, marking his 76th career rushing touchdown. Despite a difficult start, including a first quarter filled with punts and an early interception, the Bills QB now holds the record for QB rushing TDs.
Rodgers also reached a milestone, entering the game with 64,921 career passing yards. After passing for 117 yards in the first half, he surpassed the 65,000 mark, joining the ranks of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Brett Favre as the only players in league history to do so.
The Steelers are currently level with the Ravens at 6-6 at the top of the AFC North. The Bengals (4-8) were the only team in the division to secure a victory in Week 13, following Joe Burrow’s return, resulting in a 32-14 win over Baltimore.
This article first appeared on Mirror US.