Images of Aaron Rodgers, bloodied from a particularly tough quarterback sack by the Buffalo Bills Sunday, brought back memories of former New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle and one of the most iconic photos in modern day sports.
The situations shared many details, including both occurring in Pittsburgh and both leading to defensive scores, but mainly they were metaphors for Hall of Fame careers suddenly running on empty.
In 1963, when the Steelers were the lovable losers of the NFL, the team surprisingly contended for a playoff spot, only to have it vaporize in a late-season loss to Tittle’s Giants.
A year later, there was a September rematch at Pitt Stadium and the Steelers were looking for revenge. The Giants got out to a 14-0 lead, but Tittle was brutalized on a hit by Steelers defensive end John Baker, a blow that cracked Tittle’s sternum, pulled rib cage muscles, knocked loose his helmet and produced a flow of blood on his bald head.
The ball fluttered in the air due to the contact, was picked off by tackle Chuck Hinton, and Hinton waltzed 8 yards to the end zone for a touchdown that sparked a Steelers comeback win.
Tittle, dazed, kneeling in the end zone with blood running down his forehead, was snapped by a photographer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In an incredible editorial decision, the paper ran four other pictures the next day and not this one.
Only later, when Sports Illustrated got permission to run the picture, was it recognized, winning an award for best sports picture of the year.
The photo went on to hang in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was used in a campaign ad when the aforementioned Baker ran for sheriff of Wake County, N.C., and won with a slogan “If you don’t obey the law, this is what Big John will do to you.”
Tittle looked ancient in the photo. He was a month short of his 38th birthday and the 1964 season would be his last.
Now, let’s move on to Rodgers, who turned 42 years of age Tuesday.
From the start, I wondered in this space about the wisdom of the Steelers signing an ancient quarterback, albeit one with a Hall of Fame resume. Suffice it to say Rodgers isn’t going to the Hall based on recent seasons.
It can be argued that Rodgers lacks a solid supporting cast, but that doesn’t change the reality that he meanders around the pocket like Joe Biden trying to find a stage exit.
Quick to unload the ball or blame others, apparently unclear in his decision process, and lacking the elusiveness that once was his calling card, Rodgers is a sliver of his former self.
Already playing with a broken left wrist, Rodgers was wandering aimlessly in the pocket vs. Buffalo when Bills lineman Joey Bosa planted him from behind and in the process shook loose the football, leading to a go-ahead TD return, putting the Bills on top to stay.
Rodgers left the game with blood streaming from a cut on his nose, but returned later, to no effect.
For his birthday Tuesday the Steelers gave Rodgers a new wide receiver, but that is unlikely to be enough to cure what ails him.
A more appropriate gift might have been a photo of Rodgers, bleeding and stumbling from the field Sunday.
I read a story online that Tittle had what he referred to as his “Blood Picture” in his trophy room, along with a Hall of Fame plaque and various SI covers on which he had appeared.
Tittle had a sense of history and Rodgers might want to recognize that a similar situation now is repeating in Pittsburgh.
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