Why Aaron Rodgers Should and Shouldn't Suit Up During the Preseason originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It's no secret that Aaron Rodgers is one of the loudest personalities in the NFL. The veteran has made quite a name for himself both on and off the gridiron throughout his career; now, the question of whether or not it's worth a preseason suit-up has arisen.
Pittsburgh looked great against Green Bay on Thursday night in a 28-9 blowout. With Rodgers not seeing an ounce of playing time, like the majority of Pittsburgh's offensive starters, should he even play this preseason?
Here's a look at the pros and cons of Rodgers suiting up for preseason football in the Steel City.
Why Aaron Rodgers should play in the preseason
At 42 years old, the NFL's oldest player is not getting any younger. While it's not like the veteran will see ample snaps in the preseason to begin with, it certainly wouldn't hurt in terms of keeping Rodgers loose.
The Pittsburgh quarterback also received a new receiving weapon this offseason in Michael Pittman Jr. The former Indianapolis Colt, along with DK Metcalf, also matched Rodgers in not playing in the team's 28-9 rout of the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
Building chemistry with his new-look offense would only help one of the game's smartest men behind the offensive line, but it remains to be seen whether or not Coach McCarthy will opt to play his starters in their next home preseason game against the New York Jets, Rodgers' former team.
Why Aaron Rodgers should not play in the preseason
While playing devil's advocate with Rodgers' age, the quarterback is not as injury-resistant as he once was. Any big hit could delay the shot-caller's 2026 regular-season debut, which has a high possibility of completely derailing Pittsburgh's season before it begins. This has also been accepted as Rodgers' final NFL season, and an injury would be an unfortunate way to leave the sport.
Additionally, a Rodgers entry into preseason would pause the ongoing quarterback battle between Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and 2026 draftee Drew Allar, who looked quite sharp in his first NFL preseason half. The Steelers looked decent in their first preseason outing, and unless the team wants to have four quarterbacks on their active Week 1 roster, preseason may determine whether or not a roster spot gets freed up.
Pittsburgh Steelers schedule 2026
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time (ET) | TV channel |
| 1 | Sept. 13 | vs. Falcons | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 2 | Sept. 20 | at Patriots | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 3 | Sept. 27 | vs. Bengals | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 4 | Oct. 1 | at Browns | 8:15 p.m. | Prime Video |
| 5 | Oct. 11 | vs. Colts | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 6 | Oct. 18 | at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 7 | Oct. 25 | vs. Saints (Paris) | 9:30 a.m. | NFL Network |
| 8 | Nov. 1 | vs. Browns | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 9 | BYE | — | — | — |
| 10 | Nov. 15 | at Bengals | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| 11 | Nov. 22 | at Eagles | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| 12 | Nov. 27 | vs. Broncos | 3 p.m. | Prime Video |
| 13 | Dec. 6 | vs. Texans | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| 14 | Dec. 14 | at Jaguars | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| 15 | Dec. 20 | vs. Ravens | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 16 | TBD | vs. Panthers | TBD | TBD |
| 17 | Jan. 3 | at Titans | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 18 | TBD | at Ravens | TBD | TBD |
Pittsburgh Steelers preseason schedule 2026
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time (ET) | TV channel | Result |
| 1 | Aug. 13 | vs. Packers | 7 p.m. | KDKA | W, 28-9 |
| 2 | Aug. 21 | vs. Jets | 7 p.m. | KDKA | — |
| 3 | Aug. 27 | at Bills | 7 p.m. | KDKA | — |