Aaron Rodgers may have a fractured left wrist, but he is still not ruling out the possibility of playing his longtime foes on Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Chicago Bears.

When asked on Wednesday if he had any extra incentive to play the Bears, Rodgers gave a cheeky answer.

“There’s incentive for every opponent, but I have enjoyed many a Sunday and Monday and Thursdays in that city,” he said, a smile creeping across his face in a video shared by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “It’s a great sports town, phenomenal sports fans and a great place to play.”

The Steelers’ quarterback was, of course, a member of the Green Bay Packers for 18 seasons and has a 24-5 career regular-season record against the Bears. He was set to face his former NFC North rival for the first time since 2022, but the injury he sustained during the second quarter of Pittsburgh’s 34-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday appeared to throw a wrench in those plans.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday night that backup Mason Rudolph was ‘shaping up’ to start in Chicago, but the word on Monday morning was that Rodgers was ‘pushing to play’ at Soldier Field in Week 12. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters in Pittsburgh on Tuesday that Rodgers will not need surgery on his non-throwing hand and that Friday ‘will be a key day’ in determining the 41-year-old’s availability.

Rodgers was adamant about his gameday status being dependent on the safety of his wrist rather than pain management. He didn’t practice on Wednesday.

Rodgers was also asked on Wednesday about being the villain in the Bears’ bitter rivalry with his former team, but he seemed keen on moving past that.

“I’d rather not be, I mean, I’m not in Green Bay anymore,” he told reporters. “I feel like we can let bygones be bygones. Maybe I can, I guess.”

Should Rodgers be available come Sunday, it would add another level of competition for the high-flying Bears. Chicago is 7-3 and in sole possession of the NFC North with the opportunity to win its eighth game of the season for the first time since 2020.

Meanwhile, Rodgers has led the Steelers to a 6-4 record and first place in the AFC North in his first season with the team.