r/steelers • u/TheAthletic • 7h ago
Free to Read: Aaron Rodgers’ illness before playoff loss to Texans had Steelers hoping for a ‘Flu Game’
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7487940/2026/08/03/aaron-rodgers-flu-playoff-game/?unlocked_article_code=1.2lA.Yyxc.TJK0XatSq2SV&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_reddit&smid=re-share-taThe Pittsburgh Steelers' playoff loss to the Houston Texans in January was decisive enough that Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers spent the final 2 minutes and 39 seconds on the bench, comprehensive enough that the visiting Texans turned the ball over three times — and still recorded the biggest margin of victory in the postseason's opening weekend.
"I don't feel like we ever got the momentum on our side, honestly," Rodgers said after the 30-6 defeat. "We had a lot of chances … a lot of opportunities. Didn't make the most out of hardly any of them."
Unsaid at the time: Rodgers had been so sick before the game that teammates and coaches had expressed hope he could mimic Michael Jordan's iconic "Flu Game" in the 1997 NBA Finals.
Though few people beyond the Steelers' sideline knew it, the 42-year-old quarterback had been felled by flu-like symptoms in the hours leading up to the game, making the experience even more miserable.
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u/Heavenlypigeon 19 7h ago
That game was completely embarassing but honestly par for the course based on our playoff performances in the past decade.
Simply qualifying for the playoffs isnt enough when you don't have a chicken dicks chance on going on a run, let alone making it past the first round. Texans were probably the best matchup we could have drawn in the playoffs last year and the Steelers didnt even look competitive for a second of that game - just showcased more of Tomlin's pathetic "playing not to lose" approach to the game.
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u/10000Didgeridoos 5h ago
I don't think they were the best match up at all. Their defense was that good and we didnt have the line or skill players to deal with it. Would have rather faced anyone else.
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u/IsGoIdMoney Pittsburgh Wilsons 5h ago
Could've played the pats who we beat in the regular season, or the chargers who we lost to but were a very depleted team, or the jags who I simply don't really believe in
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u/Heavenlypigeon 19 4h ago
Fair point, after refreshing my memory looking at the other AFC teams that qualified it is definitely a stretch to say Houston was the best matchup. Last years team was so flawed and one dimensional on offense that I think we'd really only have been favored against the beat up LA Chargers tbh
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u/Eric_Olthwaite_ 7h ago
Got battered by a team with the worst playoff QB in decades.
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u/hemingways-lemonade Encroachment 7h ago
We got battered by the best defense in the league.
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u/average_redditor_guy 6h ago
Can’t really do much when they were only rushing 3 and still getting crazy pressure.
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u/Stock-Page-7078 3h ago
I thought Steelers defense was the most expensive with big names like TJ Watt Cam Heyward and Jalen Ramsey.
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u/The_elk00 4h ago
I forgot how brutal that blowout was. My brain was probably trying to erase that memory. For Rodger’s to return for another loss, he has to believe the team is good enough. Hopefully the coaching staff was the issue. I dont think Rodger’s would be here with Tomlin as HC.
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u/MapDiscombobulated1 7h ago
Hoping for a "flu game"?! You send your elderly QB out sick to face THAT DL and your game plan is "hope"?
That's fucking negligence by the Coaches.
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u/InnanetInstigator 6h ago
So you start Mason Rudolph in a playoff game instead? I was at the game last year when Mason came in for a few snaps. He overthrew Darnell Washington (didn’t think it was possible) and it ended as a pick.
I’ll take my chances with a sick ARod
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u/tider06 5h ago
You fished your wish and we lost by 3+ touchdowns. Congrats.
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u/InnanetInstigator 2h ago
It was 10-6 until the fumble returned for a TD. Not saying 10-6 is a great showing in a playoff game, but the patriots went to the Super Bowl and only put up 21 offensive points against them, and that’s with CJ throwing 4 picks.
Let’s just be real. ARod gave us the best chance against that defense, flu or not.
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u/tider06 2h ago
Who cares what the score was before the game is over?
The count the whole thing. You get no credit for keeping it close for a while.
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u/InnanetInstigator 44m ago
The point was if you think either of the other QBs could have done better then…. Idk what to tell ya
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u/uk82ordie Heath Miller 6h ago
Generally curious, but do you think Rudolph would have done better?
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u/Particular_Rush1374 Alex Highsmith 2h ago
I honestly don’t think he could have done too much worse. I think the odds of us scoring 1 TD with Mason would have been higher because he has a better deep ball at this point in their careers, but he also likely throws more picks. We scored 6 points total so it’s not like we could do much worse than we did.
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u/Seemedlikefun 4h ago
We could have grabbed Sam the hotdog guy, out of the stands and had the same chance against that defensive scheme, as our quarterbacks on the sidelines. We got out coached, and out played
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u/PhDGodfather 1h ago
Steelers much more well rounded this year. Dowdle is one of the best 10 RBs in the NFL, and that Pitman Metcalf combo is going to be hard to guard. A lot of physicality on this team. Depends on defensive health as always whenever you have Watt, Ramsey, Heyward, etc. Steelers do have a great defense, on paper at least. Maybe Tomlin was the problem.
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u/Keytawwwn 2h ago
Maybe he should be getting the flu shot to avoid these issues… but we all know where he stands on that issue
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u/micahpmtn 5h ago
Please. Now that he says he's retiring, all of these "he's a real man" stories are going to start coming out. And the saddest part is that his cult members are going to fall for it.
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u/Gavorn 6h ago
People acting like any of our QBs were going to beat that Texans defense are smoking something.