Steelers' Broderick Jones addresses tackling Aaron Rodgers in loss to Bengals

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't hide that he was less-than-pleased about being taken to the ground by left tackle Broderick Jones. His Steelers teammate tackled him as he celebrated a 68-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the club's 33-31 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 16.

While speaking with reporters on Monday, Jones insisted that he and Rodgers are just fine with each other following what occurred in Cincinnati.

Broderick Jones and Aaron Rodgers can now joke about ill-advised TD celebration 

"We’re still joking about it," Jones said about Rodgers' reaction to a hit the 41-year-old didn't expect to endure during the Bengals game, per Chris Ward of Steelers Now. "Yeah, he was a little mad, but it’s all right. You know, it’s football. It gets intense. It’s still no love lost. It’s just the energy that he brings and that I bring. He told me, don’t lose the fire and I told him the same. We shall see [this coming Sunday] after he throws another touchdown, I might tackle him again."

Jones was criticized for his in-game performances as a blocker throughout September. NFL analyst Sam Monson of the "Check the Mic" podcast noted, however, that Rodgers' ability to slide in the pocket helped Jones produce a solid outing versus the Bengals (h/t Jeremy Pike of Steelers Depot).

Broderick Jones discusses matchup against Micah Parsons 

Much will be discussed throughout the week about what this Sunday's game between the 4-2 Steelers and the Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) will mean to Rodgers, who played for Green Bay from 2005 through the 2022 season. Jones will understandably have other things on his mind heading into the "Sunday Night Football" showdown, as he and other members of the Pittsburgh offensive line will be responsible for blocking Packers star pass-rusher Micah Parsons during that game. 

Parsons tallied three sacks in Green Bay's 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. 

"He’s just relentless," Jones said about Parsons, according to Tim Benz of the Tribune-Review. "He doesn’t stop like most people in the league. It sets him apart because he has a motor about him. He has a deep bag of tools. He has finesse to his game. The Packers do a good job of moving him around — from the inside to the outside to lining up at linebacker. We’ve got a lot of film to break down."

As of Tuesday morning, ESPN BET had the Steelers as 3.5-point home underdogs against the Packers. How Jones and others protect Rodgers throughout the game will likely determine if Pittsburgh can earn an upset victory in front of a primetime audience.