With Packers eliminated, Rodgers goes back on IR
Aaron Rodgers is done for the season.
The Green Bay Packers put their star quarterback on injured reserve yesterday, a day after they were eliminated from playoff contention.
Rodgers missed seven games after breaking his right collarbone Oct. 15 against Minnesota. He returned on Sunday, but the Packers lost 31-24 at Carolina. Atlanta’s win against Tampa Bay on Monday night ended Green Bay’s eight-year run of consecutive postseason berths.
Brett Hundley will get the start for Green Bay in Saturday’s home game against the Vikings. Joe Callahan was signed as his backup.
Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and tossed three interceptions on Sunday. Coach Mike McCarthy said there were no setbacks with Rodgers’ injury, but it made sense to shut him down.
“He took a number of hits. With all the factors involved, we felt this was clearly in Aaron Rodgers’ best interest,” McCarthy said. “He’s not happy about it. It’s a hard day for him.”
Brown out for Pitt
The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to pick up the pieces from an emotional loss to the Patriots without Antonio Brown.
Coach Mike Tomlin said Brown will miss Pittsburgh’s Christmas Day visit to Houston with a contusion on his left calf. The NFL’s leading receiver left in the second quarter against the Patriots after getting tangled up while trying to catch a pass in the end zone. Tomlin declined to get into the specifics of Brown’s injury and didn’t put a timetable on a possible return.
The Steelers also will be without rookie backup running back James Conner, who had surgery on his right knee.
Pro Bowlers named
The Steelers lead the NFL in one category this season: most Pro Bowl players.
Brown, Le’Veon Bell and Ben Roethlisberger are among eight Steelers selected for the all-star game. They will be joined on Jan. 28 in Orlando, Fla., by tackle Alejandro Villanueva, guard David DeCastro, center Maurkice Pouncey, kicker Chris Boswell and linebacker Ryan Shazier, who is injured. Brown was voted a starter, as were Bell and the three offensive linemen.
The Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints each placed six players in the game in balloting announced yesterday.
Four rookies were chosen in voting by NFL players, coaches and fans: running backs Alvin Kamara of the Saints and Kareem Hunt of the Chiefs, cornerback Marshon Lattimore of the Saints and safety Budda Baker of the Cardinals as a special teamer.
Four Patriots were named Pro Bowlers (see Page 52). Five teams have no representatives: the Jets, Browns, Colts, Bears and Packers.
Davis ban reduced
The NFL has reduced linebacker Thomas Davis’ suspension from two games to one following his appeal.
Davis was suspended Monday following his helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay wide receiver Davante Adams. Hearing officer James Thrash, appointed jointly by the NFL and the players’ union, heard the appeal.
Davis can return to play in Carolina’s regular-season finale on Dec. 31 against Atlanta.
Lions lose WR
The Detroit Lions have put wide receiver TJ Jones on injured reserve with a shoulder problem.
The Lions also announced they have signed wide receiver Andy Jones to the active roster from the practice squad and signed cornerback Adairius Barnes to the practice squad.
TJ Jones has 30 catches for 399 yards and a touchdown this season, easily his most productive since being drafted by Detroit in the sixth round in 2014.