Few teams are more intriguing entering the 2026 season than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Rodgers is returning for what is widely expected to be his farewell campaign, and Mike McCarthy is beginning his first season as the head coach of his hometown Steelers. Correspondingly, the NFL has placed all three of Pittsburgh’s preseason games in primetime on NFL Network, according to a press release from ESPN.
Pittsburgh’s first preseason game is on Thursday, Aug. 13 at home against the Green Bay Packers at 7:00 PM ET. While Aaron Rodgers is unlikely to play a snap, he will be on the sidelines with McCarthy for the first time since 2018, the last time the two were together.
That should draw plenty of ratings from Packers fans, but it’ll also be a big draw for Steelers fans. For one, McCarthy’s debut will draw attention after nearly two decades of Mike Tomlin manning the sideline. It’s also likely the first NFL game action we see from Will Howard and perhaps even rookie Drew Allar. Howard missed his rookie preseason due to an injury.
The following week’s preseason game will be played on Friday, Aug. 21 at 7:00 PM ET at home against the New York Jets. Pittsburgh played in Week 1 against the Jets last year, but it’s still interesting to watch Rodgers return to another former team during the preseason of his farewell tour.
The third and final preseason game is on the road against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, Aug. 27. If it’s anything like last season, Rodgers will not play, but Howard and Allar will play deep into the contest.
Between McCarthy’s debut, Howard’s first preseason action, Allar’s NFL debut, and the continued attention surrounding Rodgers’ expected final season, the Steelers will be one of the NFL’s biggest preseason attractions. Fans across the country won’t have to search for the games either; all three will air nationally on NFL Network.
See the Steelers’ full 2026 schedule here.
