Fans waiting to see Aaron Rodgers make his Pittsburgh Steelers debut are going to have to wait a little longer than expected. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has announced that Rodgers, 41, will sit out Pittsburgh's preseason opener Saturday, August 9, on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"I've identified some guys that won't be playing in this game this week," Tomlin, 53, told the media on Thursday, August 7. "It has nothing to do with injury. They need less runway to take off, to be quite honest with you, because of their experience and where they are in their careers. Oftentimes, I preserve them through this process while providing more opportunities for those that need more preparation and more opportunity to display their talents."
Tomlin was speaking of the team's veterans, Rodgers included. He said wide receiver DK Metcalf, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive lineman Cam Heyward would also miss the game.
Rodgers, for his part, has no problem sitting out. He told 93.7 The Fan the day before Tomlin's announcement that he's willing to do whatever his head coach wants.
"I'm totally on board," he said. "If [Tomlin] wants me to play, I'll play. If not, then I won't. … Preseason football is not necessarily real football, because defenses don't really do a lot."
Rodgers added that he thinks the Steelers' offense is in a good place as it is after some struggles early in camp.
"Our defense, obviously we added a lot of pieces to it," he said. "Always early in camp, with the pads going, the defense seems to have the edge, and then second week, it starts to turn a little bit. So I feel like we've been playing better."
Rodgers is entering his first season with the Steelers after spending the last two years with the New York Jets. He built the majority of his Hall of Fame resume before that with the Green Bay Packers from 2005 to 2022, where he won a Super Bowl and four MVP awards.
After making headlines in the offseason for privately tying the knot, Rodgers said it was his new sister-in-law who convinced him to take his talents to Pittsburgh.
"I was taking orders from my sister-in-law, Mia," Rodgers joked to The Athletic in a story published Friday, August 1. "She's 20 and she's the brains of the family; you just have to ask her."
Rodgers first revealed he got married in June when he was introduced as a member of the Steelers, saying he tied the knot "a couple months ago." His wife's identity has not been publicly revealed.
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