Pittsburgh Steelers defeat Green Bay Packers 28-9 in preseason opener

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the Mike McCarthy era with a 28-9 preseason victory over the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium. The game was highlighted by the performance of rookie quarterback Drew Allar, who completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. Allar’s performance was significant enough to cause the Steelers' team store to sell out of his No. 16 jerseys.

Other quarterbacks also saw action in the competition for depth positions. Will Howard completed 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards, while veteran Mason Rudolph completed 10 of 11 passes for 93 yards. The Packers' scoring was limited to three field goals by rookie kicker Trey Smack.

Following the game, head coach Mike McCarthy expressed satisfaction with the quarterback room but noted that he evaluates players based on process and fundamentals rather than just production. Additionally, McCarthy addressed a new NFL rule regarding challenge flags, noting he has not yet decided if he will delegate the task to an assistant, such as chief of staff Steve Scarnecchia.