The Green Bay Packers open their 2026 preseason Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, setting up a notable matchup featuring quarterback Jordan Love and his predecessor, Aaron Rodgers.
Both signal-callers are expected to see action in the contest at Acrisure Stadium. Rodgers, now with Pittsburgh, could be facing his former team for the final time before a potential retirement following the season.
Love assumed the starting role in Green Bay after the Packers traded Rodgers to the New York Jets several years ago. The preseason clash offers an early look at the evolving quarterback landscape in the NFC North and AFC North.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur provided an update on Love’s status ahead of the game. Love will participate against the Steelers, though no specific snap count has been locked in.
“It’s pretty fluid in regards to how many snaps. But I do think there’s a lot of value for all our guys to get mentally prepared to go play a game,” LaFleur said.
The limited role makes sense given Love’s recent injury history. He has missed games in prior seasons, and the organization prefers to minimize unnecessary risk in exhibition play.
At the same time, Green Bay has shifted away from completely resting starters throughout the preseason. The approach aims to prevent sluggish starts once the regular season begins.
Entering 2026, the Packers carry elevated expectations after hovering as a near-contender in the NFC for several years without advancing deep into the playoffs. A championship-caliber run is viewed as the baseline for success this time around.
Love finished the previous season completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. Those figures ranked solidly among starting quarterbacks, yet they fell short of the elite production many anticipated from the former first-round pick.
League-wide data shows that quarterbacks posting completion rates above 65 percent with fewer than 10 interceptions typically correlate with teams reaching the postseason more than 70 percent of the time over the past decade. Love’s six picks placed him among the more careful passers, but his total yardage sat outside the top 15.
For Green Bay to push deeper into January, Love will need to elevate his efficiency and big-play ability. He has demonstrated a high ceiling in flashes, and the coming year represents a critical opportunity to establish himself among the conference’s top performers.
The Packers’ offense also returns key pieces around him, creating optimism that chemistry built during training camp can translate quickly. Historical trends indicate that teams allowing their starters limited preseason work often post stronger Week 1 performances, with average point differentials improving by nearly four points compared to squads that rest everyone.
Thursday’s game kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern, giving fans their first live look at Love under center this year. While the outcome carries no standings weight, the preparation value remains high as Green Bay eyes a more sustained push through the NFC playoffs.
Love’s career trajectory continues to draw scrutiny after successive seasons of incremental progress. In 2024 he threw for over 4,000 yards before injury limited him the following year, underscoring both his talent and the durability questions that linger.
The Steelers present a physical defensive test that could sharpen the Packers’ timing and decision-making. Rodgers’ presence adds an extra layer of intrigue for those who followed the transition in Green Bay.
Overall, the exhibition serves as an early measuring stick rather than a definitive statement. LaFleur’s flexible plan for snaps reflects a balanced view of readiness and caution that has defined the franchise’s recent approach to August football.
With the regular season still weeks away, the focus stays on fine-tuning rather than forcing results.
Love and the Packers will use the outing to build momentum toward what they hope becomes a breakthrough campaign.
