Like most of his teammates, long snapper Scott Daly wasn’t around when Aaron Rodgers bossed around the Chicago Bears.
But he gets it.
Daly grew up in Downers Grove, attended Downers Grove South and played college ball for Chicago’s adopted team, Notre Dame.
He knows that when Rodgers, now a Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, amassed a 25-5 record against the Bears during his 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, he didn’t just “own” the Bears, as Rodgers said, he owned Chicago’s psyche.
“When I played him for the first time my rookie year (with the Detroit Lions), it was definitely one of those experiences I didn’t forget, you know, being from Chicago and watching him, growing up, playing the Bears,” Daly said. “All those great games and a great rivalry. It was really cool for me to be able to play against him in person, to see the way that he operated.”
Daly personally has a 3-1 record against Rodgers — but he and the Lions lost that first meeting.
“He’s a heck of a player, obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he’s taken this league by storm ever since he came in with Green Bay,” said Daly, adding “it would be awesome playing against him” Sunday when the Bears face the Steelers at Soldier Field.
That’s if Rodgers plays.
He suffered a fracture on his left, non-throwing wrist during the first half of Sunday’s 34-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Rodgers missed practice Wednesday but took a limited part of Thursday’s and Friday’s sessions while wearing a brace.
He was listed as questionable on the final injury report.
“We’re going to be ready for whoever’s out there,” Daly said.
Bears quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett said he believes Rodgers will feel discomfort even though the injury doesn’t directly affect his throwing hand.
“I mean, quarterback, everything we do is with our hands,” said Barrett, who started the 2014 season for eventual national champion Ohio State. “There’s probably a lot of things that you wouldn’t necessarily think (of) off the top that probably could have an effect on that. But we’ve all seen Aaron Rodgers, he’s tough as (crap). … I have no doubt he can do whatever he wants in being able to battle that out.”
The Bears aren’t taking the bait that this development represents a significant setback for Rodgers or the 6-4 Steelers and thus an advantage for the hosts.
“(Steelers offensive coordinator) Arthur (Smith) has been doing this for a long time, (previously with) Tennessee and Atlanta,” coach Ben Johnson said. “There’s a pretty good track record of what he wants to be about. I just keep talking about the physicality — that’s what this game’s going to be on both sides of the ball.”
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said his staff has studied plenty of tape on both Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. Rudolph has played in 32 games between the Steelers and Tennessee Titans and is 9-8-1 in 18 starts. He has never faced the Bears.
“He’s a bigger, strong-armed quarterback,” Allen said. “He pushes the ball down the field pretty consistently, so we’re going to have to make sure we keep a roof on the coverage.”
And with Rodgers, it’s a chess match.
Now in his 21st NFL season, “he has seen it all. It’s hard to fool him,” Allen said. “So you have to be able to affect him in the pocket.”
Easier said than done.
“I still think he moves around in the pocket well,” Allen said of Rodgers, who turns 42 on Dec. 2. “I don’t know that he’s creating plays down the field as much with his legs as he did when he was a little bit younger. … (But) It’s hard to get to him. He gets the ball out of his hands really quickly, throws the ball accurate. Good timing. …
“He plays a cerebral game at the quarterback position. That’s challenging for us.”
Added cornerback Tyrique Stevenson: “Pretty sure he can read coverages in his sleep. So the best thing we could do is just get him probably a little bit mobile, get him running around, have him thinking after the snap.”
Johnson said of Rodgers: “If he doesn’t have the fastest snap-to-throw time in the league right now, he’s got to be close.”
Actually, Johnson’s not far off: Rodgers ranks second in time-to-throw (2.64 seconds) behind the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa (2.58) among qualified passers, according to NFL Pro.
“He’s doing a really good job right now of spitting it out,” Johnson said.
Does this matchup still have meaning?
It’s well-established what beating Rodgers would mean for the franchise, especially considering this could be the final time they’ll ever face him. He said before the season that he’s “pretty sure” this will be his last.
The question is, does Rodgers still possess some psychological hold over the Bears?
A good portion of the starters are either young — rookies and second-year players — or they weren’t with the Bears the last time Rodgers beat them, 28-19 on Dec 4, 2022. Only eight current Bears played in that game at Soldier Field.
Even Rodgers tried to downplay his role as Chicago’s villain.
“I’d rather not be, I mean, I’m not in Green Bay anymore,” Rodgers said. “I feel like we can let bygones be bygones. Maybe? I can (grins). It’s a great rivalry. In the history of all sports, you talk about the Lakers and the Celtics, the Red Sox and the Yankees, you’ve got to talk about the Packers and the Bears.
“And there have been some great memories there. When I first got to Green Bay, the Bears had the all-time series lead. When I left, the Packers did. Since J-Love (Jordan Love) has taken over it’s even gotten better.”
What happened to not playing the villain?
“I hope those (Bears) fans can put that behind them — I’m sure they can’t. Don’t expect them to.”
For Bears players, there may not be much to put behind them.
Several who talked with the Tribune at Halas Hall said they didn’t feel a personal connection to the Rodgers rivalry, but they understood its weight.
“I definitely missed out on those good games and those rivalries, but I’m excited,” rookie running back Kyle Monangai said. “Everybody’s told me about it, I’ve heard about it, and I was obviously watching those games as a kid and growing up till now. ….
“I don’t think it makes me think of the game any differently, but I know this game means a lot more, going against him, for the fans and for the city of Chicago, for sure.”
The respect remains.
Caleb Williams has a healthy reverence for his veteran counterpart.
“There are probably a couple quarterbacks in the world that have been able to spin the ball the way that he does,” he said. “Growing up as a kid, when you find and realize how hard it is to play this position, you admire some of the things he’s been able to do over this long career he’s had.”
Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky hugs Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the Bears defeated the Packers to clinch the NFC North title on Dec. 16, 2018, at Soldier Field.
Williams hopes to join a handful of Bears quarterbacks who won a matchup in which Rodgers started. That includes Mitchell Trubisky on Dec. 16, 2018 at Soldier Field; Josh McCown, who beat fellow backup Seneca Wallace after Rodgers was injured on the first series after Shea McClellin sacked him Nov. 4, 2013 at Lambeau Field; Jay Cutler on Nov. 26, 2015, at Lambeau Field; Cutler on Sept. 27, 2010, at Soldier Field; and Kyle Orton on Dec. 22, 2008, at Soldier Field;
Williams is rooting for Rodgers to play.
“You always want their best out there, and he’s one of the best in the world and he’s been one of the best in the world for however long he’s been in the league,” Williams said. “Hopefully (I) get to say what’s up to him and shake his hand out there.”
Johnson never had to worry about game-planning Rodgers when he was an offensive coordinator with the Lions, but it’s different as a head coach.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Aaron Rodgers,” he said. “He’s done this at a high level for an incredible amount of time and if he’s ready to go this week, I would love nothing more than to compete against him.”
Respect doesn’t equate to fear, however.
Rodgers has thrown 64 touchdowns against the Bears, more than any other team, but he also has thrown 10 interceptions. Stevenson hopes to add to that pick list.
“Definitely a (legendary) quarterback, so definitely looking forward to going up against him,” he said. “My only goal this week is to get an interception. If I pick Aaron Rodgers, that (trophy ball) is definitely going at the top of the closet, make sure not dust or anything get up on it. But definitely (that’s) one of the games I’ll be able to tell my kids about.”
Chicago Tribune reporter Sean Hammond contributed.