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Mike McCarthy wants Aaron Rodgers to play in Steelers' preseason games

Mike McCarthy wants Aaron Rodgers to play in the Steelers' first two preseason games against the Packers and Jets, with Rodgers potentially seeing 30-40 plays. This is a significant change from last year when he saw no preseason action.

First seen Aug 03, 2026 · 1:00 PM UTC · last updated Aug 03 9:00 PM

Scoring Zone's Take

Aaron Rodgers getting real preseason run under Mike McCarthy is a notable shift from last year, when he sat out every exhibition snap. McCarthy reportedly wants him on the field for the first two preseason games against the Packers and Jets, with a workload in the 30-40 play range — that's meaningful volume for a 41-year-old quarterback learning a new offense with new weapons in Pittsburgh. For draft prep purposes, this signals the coaching staff is prioritizing chemistry-building and offensive continuity rather than protecting Rodgers' legs, which is a mildly encouraging sign for his floor as a QB2/streaming option in your draft rankings. It suggests the Steelers view him as a full-go starter without lingering physical concerns that would necessitate a reduced practice or exhibition schedule.

For fantasy purposes this is a low-impact but positive data point rather than a game-changer. It doesn't move Rodgers into must-draft territory, but it removes a small red flag — durability and offensive familiarity — that would otherwise keep him firmly on the bench in redraft formats. Treat him as a late-round QB with streaming/backup value, someone worth monitoring through the preseason for signs of chemistry with his receivers rather than someone to reach for early.

Confidence here is high on the reporting itself (two corroborating sources, 90-100% confidence), but the fantasy conclusion is necessarily modest — preseason snaps are about game-planning and rust-shaking, not a guarantee of in-season production. No roster action is needed now; simply keep Rodgers on your radar as draft season progresses and watch camp reports for further confirmation of his role and health.

The last time Aaron Rodgers saw significant preseason action was 2018, when Mike McCarthy was entering his final season in Green Bay. With the QB-coach reunion in Pittsburgh, it appears the clock will be turning back for Rodgers.

The 42-year-old told Mike Silver of The Athletic that McCarthy has asked him to play in the Steelers' first two preseason games against the Packers and Jets -- Rodgers' two previous clubs.

"He (wants me out there for) 30 or 40 plays," Rodgers told Silver. "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."

McCarthy clarified his expectations on Monday.

"Those decisions are really gonna be made once we get up to it," the Steelers coach said. "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."

Rodgers saw zero preseason action last year under Mike Tomlin. The last time he took a preseason snap was in 2023 -- two series in the Jets' preseason finale. The last time he took substantial preseason snaps was in 2018, eight seasons ago, in Green Bay.

It's interesting for McCarthy to want his quadragenarian quarterback to take up a significant chunk of preseason reps. The familiarity between McCarthy and his former quarterback was one of the selling points of the one-year coupling. Allowing Rodgers to dip his toe in the water is one thing, but 30 to 40 plays is something different.

The news is also curious given the Steelers' backup quarterback questions, particularly youngsters Will Howard, who took zero game snaps last season, and rookie Drew Allar battling for roster positioning. How the preseason snaps are divvied up could be telling as to who has the inside track behind Rodgers.

Coverage from Nfl Dot Com News · by Kevin Patra · Aug 03, 2026 · read original