Aaron Rodgers Camp Update — August 23: Another Game Watched in a Ballcap
2026 NFL Season · Sunday, Aug 23
Aaron Rodgers sat out the second straight preseason game — this time with Mason Rudolph beside him — while the young quarterbacks lost seventeen to nothing to the Jets. Mike McCarthy framed it as maxing out reps for Will Howard and Drew Allar. One preseason game remains, Thursday at Buffalo, and no reporting says whether Rodgers plays in it.
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Aaron Rodgers watched another preseason game from the sideline Friday night, and this time the call came early and included Mason Rudolph: neither veteran quarterback dressed for the Jets game, a 17-to-nothing Pittsburgh loss. Mike McCarthy said beforehand that he "saw what I need to see" from Rudolph in the Green Bay opener, per CBS Sports, and explained the decision as a development play for the kids: "They're young. Will didn't get to play last year... I really want to max out the opportunities with both Will and Drew," per Paul Esden Jr. at Heavy. The kids did not reward it — Will Howard threw two interceptions in Jets territory and Drew Allar went 11 of 23 behind a leaky line, per Matthew Marczi at Steelers Depot — but that is their file, not his.
The receiver news attached to Rodgers' situation improved in tone if not in substance. DK Metcalf told reporters he feels fine after the undisclosed injury that has kept him out since early August, Michael Pittman Junior's issue is a hamstring described as minor, and both are expected to be available for the September thirteenth opener against Atlanta, per Paolo Songco at Athlon Sports — but neither practiced this week, and neither dressed Friday. Back in June we previewed Rodgers as a 43-year-old still producing his usual 14-points-a-game season, with the case resting on the McCarthy reunion and the remodeled receiver room around him. That room remains theoretical: Rodgers, Metcalf and Pittman have not shared a practice field since August eighth, and Rodgers has not taken a live-rush snap all summer.
One preseason game remains, Thursday night at Buffalo, and no reporting we can attribute says whether Rodgers plays in it. If he doesn't, his first snap against a real pass rush since last season comes in Week 1.
The checkable things this week: whether Rodgers suits up Thursday in the finale, and whether Metcalf and Pittman rejoin him on the practice field before rosters cut to 53 on Sunday, August thirtieth. We'll check after cut day.
_Data via nflverse._
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