One of Aaron Rodgers’ last wishes as an NFL quarterback will remain unfulfilled. The Pittsburgh Steelers will be taking on Rodgers’ former team, the Green Bay Packers, on August 13. However, as the clash will not happen at Lambeau Field, the veteran quarterback is a little disappointed. 

“It would have been strange, being in that [visitors] locker room and stuff, but I would have found my way over, like many former players have over the years,” said Rodgers during a Zoom call on August 12, as reported by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “See some of the guys and see some of the trainers and equipment staff and all the people I really care about that still work there. Yeah, I was definitely bummed out that we weren’t in Lambeau for this one.

“When I heard it was possible to play both my former teams, I was really hoping this one was going to be in Green Bay,” Rodgers said. 

The last time Rodgers played at Lambeau Field was on Jan. 8, 2023, during a Week 18 Sunday night game. His final appearance at the stadium ended with a 20-16 loss to the Detroit Lions, eliminating the Packers from playoff contention.

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Since the 2026 season is Rodgers’ last run, this would have been his last chance to be at his former home as a player. Rodger is more of an icon in Green Bay than in Pittsburgh, having spent 18 seasons with the Packers and winning one Super Bowl with them.

One of the most memorable games Rodgers played at Lambeau Field was the Packers’ 28-23 win against the Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round following the 2019 season. There are plenty of such notable moments from Rodgers’ career that transpired here, including breaking Brett Favre’s touchdown record in 2021. There’s also the game-saving 3rd-and-20 play from the 2017 postseason against the Cowboys.

However, Rodgers seems to be put off by the idea of playing in preseason games altogether. He said he will suit up if head coach Mike McCarthy asked him to, but the quarterback considers these games as “not regular season football.”

“If I do, great. If not, great.”

Rodgers did not appear in any preseason games last year despite joining the Steelers only two months earlier. McCarthy, however, seems very eager for Rodgers to play.

“It’s outstanding for the football team,” McCarthy said, “because there’s a level of competitiveness that goes with having veteran quarterbacks who go every single day. … He sets the standard for that practice. That 2-minute drill is different when he’s in there. All those things, the cadence, the challenge at the line of scrimmage, all those factors come into play.”

Only time will tell if McCarthy’s veteran quarterback listens to him.