The Pittsburgh Steelers just laid a 28-9 preseason beatdown on the Green Bay Packers, but the biggest takeaway might be who *wasn’t* on the field for the Black and Gold. Aaron Rodgers, the league’s oldest player at 42, didn’t see a single snap. Seriously, not one.
Why Rodgers *Should* Get on the Field
Let’s be real, you’d think a guy like Rodgers, one of the loudest personalities in the NFL and a veteran who’s made a name for himself on and off the gridiron, would want to get some reps in. Especially when he’s got a brand-new weapon in Michael Pittman Jr., the former Indianapolis Colt, to gel with. Pittman didn’t play either, and neither did DK Metcalf, which means a lot of new pieces aren’t getting that chemistry going. Coach McCarthy has a tough call to make for their next home preseason game against the New York Jets, Rodgers’ former team. Keeping a guy loose and building that connection with a “new-look offense” seems like a no-brainer, right? For one of the game’s smartest men behind the offensive line, you’d think those reps would be absolutely essential.
The High Stakes of Keeping Rodgers on the Bench
But then you look at the flip side, and it’s a completely different story. This is Rodgers’ accepted final NFL season, and the guy isn’t exactly injury-proof anymore. One big hit, just one, and his 2026 regular-season debut gets delayed, maybe even derailing Pittsburgh’s whole season before it even starts. That would be a brutal and unfortunate way to leave the sport. Plus, sitting Rodgers keeps this wild quarterback battle cooking. Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and their 2026 draftee Drew Allar are all fighting for spots, and Allar looked super sharp in his first NFL preseason half. The Steelers actually looked decent in their first outing, so unless the team wants to have four quarterbacks on their active Week 1 roster, these preseason snaps are gonna decide some serious futures.
So, what’s next? Pittsburgh hosts the New York Jets in their next preseason matchup. Coach McCarthy’s got a huge decision on his hands. Does he roll the dice and risk Rodgers, or keep him sidelined and let the young guys duke it out, hoping that a 42-year-old QB can flip a switch when Week 1 kicks off? This is gonna be a wild one to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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