While it’s just the Steelers’ first preseason game, the match is no doubt a special, full-circle moment for Mike McCarthy.
It’s McCarthy’s first game in Pittsburgh as the new head coach of his hometown team.
The Greenfield native tells Channel 11 just how much the preseason opener is going to mean to him when he drives down to the stadium.
And while quarterback Aaron Rodgers is not expected to play, there’s sentimentality for both the QB and his head coach as they compete against their former team.
McCarthy shared with us this week the balance between how special the game is for him in terms of all the memories made in Green Bay, and putting in the work they need to accomplish.
“I’m excited to see our young guys. I’m excited to go out there for the first time,” McCarthy said. “I’m excited to walk out (in) the stadium, so I mean that’s definitely real. But I’m really just trying to focus on ‘Keep moving the needle through training camp.’ Frankly, you kind of always feel this way going into the first preseason game.”
And no doubt there’s going to be a lot of focus on the debuts of both Will Howard and Drew Allar.
Rodgers told us earlier this week he remembered his first game of the preseason, calling it his Super Bowl.
He’s really looking forward to watching both of those guys Thursday night.
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