The NFL officially released the schedule before there was any confirmation that Aaron Rodgers would return to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, there was already a strong expectation in the league that he would eventually. The NFL clearly seemed to believe that as well, scheduling Pittsburgh for six primetime games while Rodgers was still unsigned.
With Mike McCarthy now involved, the league had a perfect opportunity sitting right in front of them and still missed it. The Steelers are already set to play the Packers in the preseason, but instead of hosting it in Green Bay, the game is in Pittsburgh.
If the NFL truly expected Rodgers to end up with the Steelers, having him return to Lambeau Field for a preseason reunion with his former team and former head coach would have been the obvious choice.
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers and HC Mike McCarthy should have returned to Green Bay this preseason
The Steelers will open the 2026 preseason at home against the Packers, but if the NFL was truly banking on Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, that game probably should have been played in Green Bay instead.
A preseason matchup featuring Rodgers and McCarthy returning together to Lambeau Field would have carried a level of anticipation that preseason football rarely gets. It would have been the reunion of the Packers former Super Bowl-winning quarterback and head coach at the stadium where their run together started nearly two decades ago.
Now add in Rodgers telling the media that the 2026 season is currently expected to be his final year in the NFL, and it makes the missed opportunity feel even bigger. In a league that constantly leans into storylines and nostalgia, it is honestly surprising that the NFL schedule makers did not take advantage of this one. Even people who normally would not care about preseason football probably would have tuned in to watch Rodgers walk back into Lambeau wearing a Steelers uniform for the first time.
Packers fans almost certainly would have sold out Lambeau Field for that kind of moment. It would have felt less like a preseason game and more like the unofficial start of Rodgers’ farewell tour while also welcoming back the head coach who helped bring Green Bay another Super Bowl. Instead, the game will be played in Pittsburgh, and the NFL missed out on what could have been one of the biggest preseason atmospheres the league has seen in years.
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