Aaron Rodgers’ status for Thursday night’s Steelers Game preseason opener is still up in the air, with Mike McCarty saying the decision on whether the quarterback plays at Acrisure Stadium will come from him after the two continue their discussion later in the afternoon.
The Steelers are scheduled to host the Packers on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the preseason opener, and the question is a straightforward one: will Rodgers take live snaps before the regular season begins? Rodgers, who is 42 years old and entering what he says will be his 22nd and final NFL season, has not missed a practice this training camp at Saint Vincent College, but he also did not play at all in the preseason last year.
Why the decision matters
McCarty said the team has already installed more offense than it is likely to use in a preseason game that does not count in the standings. If Rodgers sits, he is expected to wear a headset and help with sideline communication instead of playing.
That keeps the focus on preparation rather than results, but McCarty also made clear why Rodgers still matters in a game like this. The coach said veteran quarterbacks who go every day raise the standard in practice, and Rodgers’ presence changes things such as the 2-minute drill, cadence and the challenge at the line of scrimmage.
Rodgers offered the same practical approach when asked about playing. If he does, great. If not, great. His bigger point was that the important thing right now is practicing the right way and practicing hard.
What McCarty and Rodgers are weighing
McCarty said Rodgers is still working his way back, and he compared the situation to any return from injury. He noted that there is a strength component the team is still trying to get over, along with things the staff wanted to see him do in pads and a helmet.
For now, the answer is still unresolved. McCarty and Rodgers are expected to talk again later in the afternoon, and only then should the Steelers have a clearer idea whether their most high-profile preseason question will lead to live game action on Thursday night or a different kind of sideline role.
