The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to start their 2026 season off with a home victory over the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 20-13. While it wasn’t a particularly jaw-dropping performance by either side of the football, head coach Mike McCarthy‘s squad has started the season the right way.
Even though McCarthy received the game ball for his first win as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, perhaps another game ball should go to quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP played at a very high level to start his final season in the NFL, even if the stats didn’t exactly show it.
Pittsburgh Steelers Show Potential on Offense
While reviewing Rodgers’ game tape from Sunday, his former teammate, quarterback Kurt Benkert, had some thoughts on the legend’s play. Here is what he had to say about No. 8’s 2026 debut:
“We got to see vintage (Aaron) Rodgers on Sunday, and the stat sheet didn’t show the full picture…Mike McCarthy era is here and Rodgers was dealing…The film tells me that (the Steelers) are going to be a pass-first offense, and I do like that a ton.”
Benkert, who was teammates with Rodgers in Green Bay back in 2021, knows what it’s like to witness Rodgers when he’s got the hot hand. He also noted that this was not the Steelers’ best offensive performance while further mentioning how the Falcons performed well on defense, too. As the season moves along, it would not be a surprise to see this McCarthy offense really kick it up a notch.
It certainly will do that if Rodgers plays the way he did on Sunday. He completed 24 passes on 40 attempts for 221 yards and a touchdown. No, he didn’t throw for 300 yards. No, he didn’t toss four touchdowns. But there were plenty of drops and other miscues that took away from what could have been a truly dominant offensive performance. Make no mistake about it, Rodgers played at a very high level to kick off the season.
Steelers Could Make Major Statement Next Sunday
If you know the NFL, you know that Week 1 can be a true liar from time to time. For example, in 2021, the Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers were blown out by the Jameis Winston-led New Orleans Saints 38-3 in Week 1 that season. Green Bay would go on to win 13 games and earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Rodgers would also win his fourth MVP that year. So, no matter what happens in the first week of the season, it may or may not be a liar.
Steelers fans are hoping Week 1 tells the truth. But the team will have a great chance to prove their worth next Sunday when they travel to face the New England Patriots, a team that was both in the Super Bowl a season ago and a team that is very frustrated after its Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. If McCarthy and Rodgers can lead their team to a win in New England, the rest of the AFC may want to look out.
Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Earns ‘Vintage’ Review From Former Teammate