While Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a tough loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in their week 6 Thursday Night Football matchup, one moment during the game upset the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Following a 68-yard touchdown strike to tight end Pat Freiermuth with 2:21 left in the fourth quarter, offensive tackle Broderick Jones tackled Rodgers from behind while trying to celebrate the go-ahead score.
Aaron Rodgers’ Former Teammate Defends Him After Viral Sideline Tackle
The day after the Steelers’ embarrassing loss, Rodgers’ former top blindside protector, David Bakhtiari, shared his thoughts on the incident on X. “It honestly gets funnier the more you watch.”
Bakhtiari and Rodgers have been friends since the offensive lineman was drafted back in 2013 from the University of Colorado as a fourth-round pick. Their relationship has transcended the football field and has been publicly visible, most notably at the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
Shortly after getting tackled while heading to the sideline, Rodgers made his displeasure known, turning back to yell at Broderick Jones, “Get off me.” His frustration is understandable, given his current stage in his career. At 41 years old and just two years removed from an Achilles tear, any hit Rodgers takes could seriously injure him and derail the Steelers’ entire season.
The culprit, Jones, has yet to comment on the situation, though he’s received mass trolling both online and on social media.
Currently, Jones ranks 131st of all offensive linemen with a 67.8 Offensive Line impact grade (OLI). The Steelers have been hoping Jones would develop into a dependable blocker, though results have been mixed to say the least after selecting him 14th overall in the 2023 NFL draft.
Before this year, he’d struggled to remain on the field, battling with former Steeler Dan Moore Jr. for the left tackle starting job before eventually settling in on the right side in 2024.
Though Jones has largely been inconsistent throughout his career, recent bright spots, including stifling former Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, have many hopeful he can finally live up to his expectations. If he can just refrain from tackling his own quarterback, he’ll remain on an upward path.
For Rodgers, the offensive line’s growth has been an integral reason for his success to start the season. As one of the most immobile quarterbacks in the NFL, protection from rushing defensive linemen is of the utmost importance.
While his mind is still one of the sharpest in the league, the amount of time he gets in the pocket will truly determine how far the Steelers can go this year.