Very few, if any, players in NFL history can claim to have inflicted as many moments of unadulterated misery on the Chicago Bears as Aaron Rodgers. His Green Bay Packers tenure might be over, but the memories he left on this franchise have still not healed.
After trying to replicate Tom Brady and Peyton Manning by winning a Super Bowl after changing teams, his Achilles injury all but ended any thought of him accomplishing that with the New York Jets. Even after this ill-fated stint, the Pittsburgh Steelers believe he can be the quarterback upgrade they needed.
Bears fans will get one more chance to renew their rivalry with Rodgers in what might be his final season in the pros, as the Bears and Steelers will lock horns during a Week 12 game in Chicago. If Rodgers' struggles in 2025 were just a byproduct of playing with the Jets, this Steelers team could give the Bears a ton of trouble.
Bears to play Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers team in Week 12
Rodgers did throw for nearly 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns on a Jets team that was running on fumes all season long, but his ability to play like an MVP has all but eroded. At this point, the Bears won't be facing the same player who used to haunt this team for almost two decades.
The Steelers would have been an easy opponent if they had either Mason Rudolph or rookie Will Howard under center, but even a player as old as Rodgers starting under center stands out as a major upgrade. Rodgers has historically not had a problem producing at Soldier Field.
The Bears can take solace in the fact that they will likely have an improved Caleb Williams and an offensive line capable of protecting him. The hope for 2025 is that this team can be more than just a pommel horse for Rodgers during another deep playoff run.
The Bears' most important games will be against their NFC North rivals, but no non-conference game on the schedule even comes close to matching their duel with Rodgers in terms of hype and bombast. Time will tell if Ben Johnson is able to follow through and send him home with a loss.