Aaron Rodgers Starts Steelers Era With Rare Strategy

Aaron Rodgers will not see the field in preseason action with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

When the team closes out exhibition play against the Carolina Panthers, Rodgers will sit once again, marking the first time in two decades that a healthy starting quarterback for the team has not taken a preseason snap. How rare is it that a Steelers starting quarterback skips the preseason? It has not happened since before Ben Roethlisberger arrived in 2004, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The decision may trace back to an understanding formed when Rodgers visited the facility in March. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that “Rodgers and Tomlin mapped out a loose agreement as to how things would go.”

That agreement may have included Rodgers signing just before mandatory minicamp, skipping voluntary workouts without creating drama, and bypassing the preseason altogether. Rodgers entered with leverage. The Steelers, desperate for postseason success after nearly a decade without a playoff win, had few other high-end options.

As Florio put it, “Rodgers is smart. Rodgers had leverage.” The structure of his arrival reflects that influence, and he will now debut in Week 1 against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, his former home.

The matchup adds intrigue, as Rodgers has never faced a former team in his 20 NFL seasons. The New York crowd will be hostile, and any stumble could intensify scrutiny over his lack of preseason reps.

Pittsburgh’s early schedule appears favorable with games against the Jets, Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Still, losses in that stretch could spark questions about whether preseason snaps might have sharpened Rodgers’ readiness.

The Steelers have chosen calculated caution. If September starts slow, the choice to skip postseason reps will be scrutinized.

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