Will Aaron Rodgers Play in Preseason Games? Steelers QB, Mike McCarthy Discuss Plan

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Aaron Rodgers didn't participate in preseason action last year under Mike Tomlin, but new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy seems to have a different strategy for the veteran quarterback.

The Steelers are set to face the Packers, Jets and Bills during the 2026 preseason, and McCarthy has asked Rodgers to play in the first two games against Green Bay and New York, Rodgers' former teams.

"He (wants me out there for) 30 or 40 plays," Rodgers said (via The Athletic). "I said, 'Mike, if you want me to play, I'll play.' I'm not saying I want to do it. But if he wants me to, I will."

If Rodgers follows through with his retirement plan and walks away from the NFL after this season, the preseason would mark the beginning of the end of a Hall of Fame career. While McCarthy may be leaning toward sending Rodgers out with the offensive unit for at least a few series, he is leaving the door open for adjustments based on what happens during training camp.

"Those decisions are really gonna be made once we get up to it," McCarthy said (via NFL.com). "Trust me, I have a lot of ideas. ... We have plans, but being a healthy system, let's see what happens. A lot can happen between now and [then].

"He'd like to play. I would like to see him play. But we won't make a decision until we get all the way up to it because there's more that goes into that than having one player play. It's the culmination of players."

Pittsburgh Steelers preseason schedule 2026​

The Steelers will play three preseason games in 2026, including two at Acrisure Stadium.

Pittsburgh opens the preseason against the Packers on Aug. 13. The Steelers will then host the Jets on Aug. 21 before hitting the road for a matchup against the Bills on Aug. 27.

Here is the Steelers' full schedule for the 2026 preseason:

Week	Date	Opponent	Time (ET)	Location
1	Aug. 13	vs. Packers	7 p.m.	Acrisure Stadium - Pittsburgh, Pa.
2	Aug. 21	vs. Jets	7 p.m.	Acrisure Stadium - Pittsburgh, Pa.
3	Aug. 27	at Bills	7 p.m.	Highmark Stadium - Orchard Park, N.Y.

Pittsburgh Steelers regular season schedule 2026​

Here is the Steelers' full schedule for the 2026 regular season:

Week	Date	Opponent	Time (ET)
1	Sept. 13	vs. Falcons	1 p.m.
2	Sept. 20	at Patriots	1 p.m.
3	Sept. 27	vs. Bengals	1 p.m.
4	Oct. 1	at Browns	8:15 p.m.
5	Oct. 11	vs. Colts	1 p.m.
6	Oct. 18	at Buccaneers	1 p.m.
7	Oct. 25	vs. Saints (Paris Game)	9:30 a.m.
8	Nov. 1	vs. Browns	1 p.m.
9	BYE	—	—
10	Nov. 15	at Bengals	8:20 p.m.
11	Nov. 22	at Eagles	4:25 p.m.
12	Nov. 27	vs. Broncos	3 p.m.
13	Dec. 6	vs. Texans	8:20 p.m.
14	Dec. 14	at Jaguars	8:15 p.m.
15	Dec. 20	vs. Ravens	1 p.m.
16	TBD	vs. Panthers	TBD
17	Jan. 3	at Titans	1 p.m.
18	TBD	at Ravens	TBD

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