The Pittsburgh Steelers got a bounce-back win in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals, winning 34-12. At halftime, it was revealed that quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be questionable to return with a hand injury. He sat out the second half , and backup quarterback Mason Rudolph stepped in and guided the team to a decisive victory.
Rudolph delivered an efficient performance, completing 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown, giving the Steelers exactly what they needed to close out the game. The Steelers defense also did a much better job this time around against the Bengals’ high-powered offense, limiting them to just 12 points. Rudolph was efficient and composed as he helped guide Pittsburgh past its AFC North rival, pushing the team to 6-4 in the 2025 season.
After the win, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke with members of the media and was immediately asked whether he had talked to Rodgers about the injury or about the overall performance.
Tomlin kept his tone measured and avoided any dramatic declarations, but he did offer a small update on Rodgers’ condition. While he did not go into detail, his comments suggested that Rodgers remained involved after the win and shared a brief message with Tomlin after the game, which quickly drew attention from fans looking for clarity.
“I was,” Tomlin said when asked if he talked with his quarterback. “He was excited about the win. I just talked to him, but that’s all we talked about. We didn’t talk about his injury. We did talk about the significance of the win.”
Many fans are now curious about Rodgers’ status going forward, especially after Rudolph’s strong showing. Some are even beginning to raise the idea of Rudolph remaining the starter if Rodgers needs additional time to recover or if the coaching staff wants to ride the hot hand.
It is too early to make any firm decisions, but Rudolph’s poise and execution have added a new layer to the Steelers’ quarterback conversation and created an intriguing storyline heading into the next week. Tomlin was asked just how significant this win was, and he went into detail in typical Tomlin fashion.
“It’s perspective,” Tomlin said. “It feels good right now, but it’s about what happens moving forward and it always is. That’s just the nature of this thing. It’s sweet today but tomorrow we got back to work. There’s big business waiting on us next week.”
Rodgers went 9-of-15 for 116 passing yards and one touchdown. He did not turn the ball over, but the offense seemed to open up a little more with Rudolph in the game.
Still, that may have been more a result of chance and how the game was unfolding. The Bengals’ defense is not particularly strong, and they actually came out hot in this divisional matchup.
As the game wore on, the Bengals began to struggle more and more, which naturally made things a bit easier for Rudolph. It is safe to say Rodgers likely would have had a similar, if not better, performance in the second half had he been healthy.
Still, this sets up some debate about the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh. Many Steelers fans are first waiting to get a clear update on the status of Rodgers’ hand injury before diving into any bigger conversations about the starter. The Steelers got a much-needed win at home, but now they could be without Rodgers.
Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian recently spotlighted a different side of family life, sharing how weekends with daughters Olympia and Adira often revolve around simple joys rather than global tennis headlines.
His updates offered a warm look at slow moments at home as Ohanian and Williams, who became parents in 2017 when Olympia arrived, have long embraced documenting family memories online.
Their second daughter, Adira, joined the family in 2023, adding more cheerful chaos to their routine and inspiring fresh stories and this weekend, the Reddit co-founder showcased a charming kitchen scene as he and little
Posting the images on X.com, formerly Twitter, he captioned them in a pure delightful fashion by writing: “The joy of the perfect flip. Papa Pancakes.”
Beyond breakfast fun, the tech entrepreneur also highlighted Olympia‘s growing interest in golf. His Instagram story featured a clip of her steadying her stance during a lesson, hinting at budding skills that extend well beyond the tennis legacy linked to her family name.
In earlier months, he also showcased another culinary milestone when Olympia gleefully held up a homemade crepe. The photo, shared in September, portrayed her lifting the plate in one hand while flashing a victory sign with the other, a snapshot of family creativity.
These updates have become a hallmark of Ohanian‘s online presence, balancing his work identity with a fatherhood narrative shaped around shared learning, weekend rituals, and small wins that resonate with parents who value meaningful home moments.
Meanwhile, Rick Macci, Serena’s former coach, weighed in on a heated debate: which player owns the greatest backhand in men’s tennis history, a topic that routinely sparks passionate responses among fans.
Macci disagreed with world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who favored rival Jannik Sinner. Instead, he praised Novak Djokovic.
Stating on X.com, Macci wrote, “Who has the best backhand of all time. Many in the mix. The leader in the Goat Backhand is by far Novak Joker [Djokovic].
“He has hit more, made more, won more and biomechanically he has the optimal science based stroke that is why I go with Mr. Joke.”
His bold declaration stirred lively discussion online as expected. However,
Agassi, known for his iconic two-handed backhand and his eight Grand Slam singles titles, briefly coached Djokovic, making the mutual respect between them especially notable.
The 38-year-old Djokovic is currently looking to extend his record for most Grand Slams singles title to three ahead of Rafa Nadal, but is coming up short in his quest for trophy number 25.
The veteran still remains an impressive force to reckon with in the sport despite his age, but is now beginning to be out-paced by Sinner and Alcaraz as the 24-year-old Italian and 22-year-old Spaniard take over as the dominant players in the current landscape.
Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz have won every major since the start of 2024. Djokovic was the last man to beat them to a crown, winning the 2023 US Open in New York.