When Celebrating Goes Wrong: Broderick Jones Nearly Takes Down Aaron Rodgers

Justin Rimpi

Thursday Night Football served up more drama than a soap opera, and this time it wasn’t just between opposing teams. In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ heart-stopping 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, veteran Quarterback Aaron Rodgers found himself in not one, but two heated exchanges with his own teammates. The most memorable? Getting absolutely pancaked by Broderick Jones during what should have been a moment of pure joy.

The Tackle That Shocked Everyone

Picture this: Aaron Rodgers, at 41 years old, threads a perfect 68-yard touchdown bomb to Tight End Pat Freiermuth with just over two minutes left on the clock. The Steel City crowd erupts, Rodgers breaks out his signature celebration skip, and for a brief moment, all is right in the world. Then, like a freight train with questionable judgment, 311-pound left tackle Broderick Jones comes barreling in for some celebratory love.

What happened next was the kind of collision that makes offensive coordinators wake up in cold sweats. Jones, caught up in the moment, essentially tackled his own quarterback during the celebration. Both players went crashing to the turf like they’d been hit by a linebacker, not a teammate trying to spread some joy.

The reaction was immediate and intense. Rodgers popped up looking like someone had just told him pineapple belongs on pizza, shoving Jones away with the kind of fury typically reserved for defensive ends who get too handsy. Even Quarterbacks Coach Tom Arth had to step in to separate the two, because apparently, celebrating touchdowns now requires referees.

Why Rodgers Had Every Right To Be Furious

Let’s be honest here – if you’re a 311-pound mountain of muscle, maybe don’t body-slam the 41-year-old quarterback who’s supposed to carry your team to the playoffs. It is like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut, except the walnut throws touchdown passes for a living.

The Bengals defense had been relatively kind to Rodgers all night, managing zero sacks and only two quarterback hits. Jones single-handedly delivered more punishment to his own quarterback than Cincinnati’s entire pass rush. That is not exactly the kind of statistic that makes it into the highlight reel for all the right reasons.

You could see the frustration written all over Rodgers’ face. This wasn’t just about getting knocked down – it was about a moment of triumph getting overshadowed by what could have easily turned into a season-ending injury. When you’re pushing 40 in NFL years, every hit matters, even the accidental ones from your own teammates.

The Earlier Incident With Jaylen Warren

The Jones celebration wasn’t even Rodgers’ first teammate tango of the evening. Earlier in the first quarter, Running Back Jaylen Warren found himself on the receiving end of some classic Rodgers frustration after a botched play that turned into an accidental flea flicker.

Warren took the handoff and, thinking he was supposed to pitch it back, created a trick play that nobody had actually called. Rodgers was left scrambling to throw the ball away while probably wondering if he needed to start carrying around play cards to make sure everyone was reading from the same playbook.

The aftermath was vintage Rodgers – direct, pointed, and delivered with the kind of intensity that makes grown men reconsider their life choices. “What are you doing?” he asked Warren, followed by a crystal-clear explanation: “It wasn’t a flea flicker.”

The Bigger Picture Beyond the Frustration

These incidents highlight something deeper about Rodgers’ transition to Pittsburgh. He is still learning to mesh with teammates who are getting used to playing with a quarterback who demands precision and has little patience for miscommunication. It’s like trying to conduct a symphony orchestra when half the musicians are still figuring out which song you’re playing.

The miscommunication with Warren showed that even six games into the season, there are still kinks to work out. When Head Coach Mike Tomlin confirmed after the game that he thought it was supposed to be a flea flicker, it became clear that the confusion wasn’t just between Rodgers and Warren – it was a team-wide communication breakdown.

Looking Forward After a Painful Loss

Despite throwing for 249 yards and four touchdowns, Rodgers watched his team blow a late lead when the Bengals marched down for a game-winning field goal. The celebration-turned-wrestling-match with Jones probably felt even more frustrating knowing that the touchdown ultimately wasn’t enough to secure victory.

The Steelers still sit atop the AFC North at 4-2, but games like this show there’s still work to be done. When your biggest hits come from your own offensive line during celebrations, it might be time to review the protocol for touchdown festivities.

For Jones, who’s already struggled this season according to Pro Football Focus rankings (61st out of 76 offensive tackles), adding “accidentally tackled own quarterback” to his resume probably wasn’t part of the career plan. Jones will need to channel that celebration energy into better pass protection instead of impromptu wrestling matches.

As for Rodgers, he will probably be having some conversations about celebration etiquette with his linemen. After all, the goal is to protect the quarterback, not practice your tackling technique on him when he’s trying to enjoy a moment of success.

Justin has been a sportswriter for nearly a decade. He has previously written for 247 Sports an Sports Illustrated.

More Great Content