The Green Bay Packers open the 2026 preseason schedule on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Aug. 13, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, according to Packersnews. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, with usatoday.com reporting national television coverage on the NFL Network and local broadcasts on KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, WGBA-TV in Green Bay, and WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.
Steelers and Packers Kick Off Preseason at Acrisure Stadium
The matchup features notable storylines on both sidelines, beginning with Mike McCarthy’s coaching career coming full circle. The Pittsburgh native coaches his first game with the Steelers against the franchise that gave him his first NFL head-coaching opportunity. McCarthy coached the Packers from 2006 to 2018 and led them to their fourth Super Bowl victory. Manning the opposing sideline for Pittsburgh is former Packers great Aaron Rodgers, who enters what is reported as one more and last season in the league.
Young Wide Receivers and Offensive Line Battles in Pittsburgh
For the Steelers, several position battles and player developments take center stage. Roman Wilson has looked comfortable playing with Aaron Rodgers during training camp, establishing clear chemistry and positioning himself in the competition for the No. 3 receiver job. Conversely, rookie second-round pick Germie Bernard has experienced a quieter start to camp, facing the mental hurdles of processing the NFL game and learning the playbook. With starters DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. likely sidelined due to recent injuries, Wilson and Bernard are expected to see extensive action alongside other young receivers Max Hurleman and Brandon Smith.
Along the offensive line, Spencer Anderson and Dylan Cook are competing for full-time starting roles on the right side. Anderson has 11 career starts—mostly as an extra tackle in jumbo packages—while Cook, a former college quarterback and undrafted free agent who spent years on the practice squad, aims to follow in the footsteps of previous undrafted Steelers offensive linemen like Ramon Foster, Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler, and Chris Hubbard.
Additionally, Pittsburgh’s quarterback depth chart behind Rodgers features Drew Allar, Will Howard, and Mason Rudolph all jockeying for position.
Jordan Love and Key Packers Storylines
On the Green Bay side, coach Matt LaFleur plans to play his starters, including quarterback Jordan Love, to ensure the offense is sharp for a competitive NFC North division. However, playing key starters carries inherent risks, mindful of past preseason injuries across the league.
Packers storylines to watch include:
- Rookie Kicker Trey Smack: Acrisure Stadium presents notoriously brutal winds, particularly on the south end near the river confluence. Opposing kickers hit just 77% of their attempts there last season.
- Benjamin St-Juste: The free-agent cornerback has taken first-team reps ahead of Keisean Nixon with few blemishes in camp. His 6-foot-3 frame could provide an asset against tall receivers.
- Pass Rush Competition: Until Micah Parsons returns from injury, Jonathan Gannon’s defense features a tight contest at defensive end and outside linebacker alongside projected starter Lukas Van Ness, with players like Barryn Sorrell, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Brenton Cox Jr., Collin Oliver, and Arron Mosby competing for depth chart positioning.
