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New Video Reveals Aaron Rodgers' Instructions to Kenneth Gainwell Before Miracle TD

Just how they drew it up.

Kyle Koster

Aaron Rodgers set up the amazing touchdown by Kenneth Gainwell.
Aaron Rodgers set up the amazing touchdown by Kenneth Gainwell. / NFL on X
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The Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to be destined to go into the half trailing the Detroit Lions on Sunday after failing to get anything going offensively. Then Aaron Rodgers lofted one up for grabs in the direction of running back Kenneth Gainwell, who was streaking down the right sideline. Somehow Gainwell managed to make a juggling catch, get up untouched and race into the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown to pull Pittsburgh level.

It was one of the strangest plays of the NFL season and spring-boarded the Steelers to 19 unanswered points in what ended up as a controversial 29-24 victory. The unconventional score could also prove enormous if Rodgers's crew hangs on to control of the AFC North.

And if you're wondering how they even went about the process of drawing up such a play, new video provides some answers.

After breaking the huddle, Rodgers shifts Gainwell over to his right side and instructs him to run a flat. Upon seeing what type of coverage the Lions had cooked up, the future Hall of Famer tells his running back to motion all the way out and run a go.

The rest is history.

We knew that a lot of things had to go just right for the ball to end up in Gainwell's arms. But seeing how split-second decision before the ball was snapped made it a possibility at all just makes it all the more improbable.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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