The 2026 preseason is finally underway, and the Green Bay Packers open their slate against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The matchup carries weight, with Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy being on the field together in Pittsburgh. McCarthy now leads the Steelers as head coach, while the four-time MVP quarterback plays for them.
Before kickoff, let’s revisit why Rodgers and McCarthy left the Packers.
Aaron Rodgers’ Exit from the Packers
Rodgers’ departure wasn’t a simple incident. Despite winning back-to-back MVP awards to start the 2020s, Green Bay could not turn that success into the playoff breakthrough it wanted.
Eventually, Green Bay started preparing for life beyond its longtime quarterback. The Packers traded back into the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and used the No. 26 overall pick on Jordan Love.
Given how Green Bay handled the transition from Brett Favre to Rodgers, the message seemed hard to miss. But the relationship truly began to deteriorate during the 2022 season.
That offseason, trade speculation and retirement talk surrounded Rodgers until the Packers handed him a three-year, $150.8 million extension.
For a moment, the deal appeared to settle everything. Instead, Green Bay finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs, while Rodgers struggled in a final game that could have sent the Packers into the postseason.
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After that, the situation quickly became harder to repair. Rodgers admitted he did not know where his career was heading before entering a “darkness retreat,” isolating himself from the outside world.
Once he returned, Rodgers said the Packers had told him to retire or find another team. Green Bay disagreed, maintaining that Rodgers had failed to contact the organization despite general manager Brian Gutekunst making several attempts.
Rodgers eventually announced that he would continue his career with the New York Jets.
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Why Did Mike McCarthy Leave the Packers?
McCarthy spent 13 seasons leading the Green Bay Packers. His tenure produced plenty of success, including nine playoff trips. From 2009 through 2016, Green Bay reached the postseason every year, while McCarthy also guided the franchise to its fourth Super Bowl title in 2011.
However, that strong run eventually lost momentum.
On Dec. 2, 2018, the Packers dismissed McCarthy shortly after a 20-17 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay sat at 4-7-1 and had dropped five of its previous six games. Those results finally pushed the organization to make a change.
Following the loss, Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy announced McCarthy’s firing within hours.
Now, McCarthy and Rodgers get a chance to revisit that history from the opposite side. They will take on the Packers tonight at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
