Aaron Rodgers will be entering his second season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and final season of his NFL career. Although Mike McCarthy has taken over the head coach role after Mike Tomlin’s departure this season, making Rodgers train under new offensive strategies, Steelers icon Ben Roethlisberger speaks against the idea of Rodgers taking the majority of snaps in the preseason games.

“This is his offense,” Roethlisberger said on the Footbahlin Podcast. “He knows this. He doesn’t need to be out there in the preseason. I guess if you want some continuity. I think they said something between 30 and 60 plays for the whole preseason. I don’t know if that’s how many games or whatever, but you’re talking maybe 20 plays a game. That’s a lot…

“Roughly 20 snaps a game is a lot. Not only is it a lot for your quarterback, the Hall of Famer you built this team around, but what it also does, more importantly, is it takes all those reps away from other guys. Have Aaron go one series. Let him go one series, whatever that entails, and pull him out. Then I’d go right to whoever is next. Don’t take reps away from those other guys for a Hall of Fame guy that already knows this offense. That’s my argument. Like, man, let’s get reps for the other guys.”

Aaron Rodgers will play with almost the same offensive unit in the upcoming season. While he leads the offense as QB, Jaylen Warren will hold onto the primary RB1 duties. Along with wide receiver DK Metcalf and tight end Pat Freiermuth retaining their top target statuses. And Zach Frazier continuing as the undisputed anchor at center.

As a result, former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger deems the team’s stance on Rodgers taking over the majority of snaps in the preseason games against the Green Bay Packers (on August 13, 2026), the New York Jets (on August 21, 2026), and the Buffalo Bills (on August 27, 2026) as unnecessary. But Rodgers has no option, as it seems.

“He [wants me out there for] 30 or 40 plays,” Rodgers said about HC Mike McCarthy’s request. “I said, ‘Mike, if you want me to play, I’ll play.’ I’m not saying I want to do it. But if he wants me to, I will.”

However, Roethlisberger also pointed out the drawbacks to the decision. If Rodgers, who is well accustomed to the offensive unit, goes for 30-40 plays, it would limit the exposure of the backup quarterbacks such as Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar, especially considering the Steelers must decide on their long-term future QB as Rodgers is set to wrap up his NFL career after the 2026 season.