The 2026 NFL training camps have kicked off around the league, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. The Pittsburgh Steelers' camp is taking place in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions and, of course, the quarterbacks room.
What follows is everything we are seeing and hearing at Steelers camp. We will update this file often. How will coach Mike McCarthy shape this roster and the offense in his first year in Pittsburgh? Who are the breakout players to watch, especially for fantasy football? And which players on the roster bubble could make the final 53?
Dive in to all the updates and be sure to check back for more information until the first full week of the preseason begins Aug. 13.
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Latest news from Steelers camp
Tuesday, Aug. 11
Entering his 22nd year in the NFL, quarterback Aaron Rodgers doesn't see a real advantage to playing in preseason games.
"It's preseason," he said after Tuesday's practice. "It's not real football. So if I do, great. If not, great.
"... Preseason's a lot different. Teams don't run anything anymore. They just really don't. ... I think preseason football is good to see guys with the pads on, under the lights, how they react to the nerves, but it's not real regular-season football."
Instead, Rodgers said he's anxious to see how younger quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar react to being in game-like environments for the first time.
Coach Mike McCarthy said he'll make a decision about the quarterback rotation for Thursday in meetings on Tuesday night, but he envisions using three groups on offense. The first will play one or two series, McCarthy said, while the second will finish out the first half and the third will play the second half.
Rodgers said if he doesn't play, he views his role as providing comic relief from the sideline.
"I like to be on the headset and calm everybody down," Rodgers said. "Usually the first game, it's a little hectic on the headset. So I like to be the voice of reason, occasional dad joke or one-liner. Just keep everybody settled in a little bit."
It wasn't always that way, though.
"It was my Super Bowl, for sure," Rodgers said of playing in the preseason 20 years ago.
"I was so locked in and dialed in, and then you get out there and you run on a field and the nerves start flooding you and you start trying to slow your breathing down just to remember what the play was that you just heard in your helmet and not have to ask him again on the sideline and say it with conviction in the huddle, and then break the huddle and try and remember what the hell's going on to play and who's got what.
"It's a great experience the first time just to be out there and to be live."
More observations:
The Steelers moved practice indoors for the second day in a row as inclement weather hit Latrobe during their practice window. This time, the storms came through earlier than the day before, and the Steelers opted to hold the entire practice indoors. Though it was scheduled to go from 11 to 1:20 p.m., practice ended up lasting about an hour and a half.
McCarthy said Tuesday's padded practice was a critical one ahead of Thursday's preseason game. "We have a full slate," McCarthy said. "We wanted to have a competitive two drills today and two minutes. ... This practice is important. And frankly, you usually don't have that big of a practice as closer to the game. I get it. But it is preseason. So we'll see how we come out of today."
First-round pick Max Iheanachor won't play Thursday night, and McCarthy said Iheanachor is "working his way back" from last week's upper body injury. Iheanachor did individual drills on Monday. "We use the individual drills to see what he can do," McCarthy said. "... There's a strength component that we're trying to get over and there's some things we wanted to see him do in his pads and a helmet on. And he's making progress."
With WRs Michael Pittman Jr. and DK Metcalf out of practice for a second day in a row, rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard said he worked with the first team offense again. Rodgers said Bernard has a "really bright future," but acknowledged the wide receiver still has a lot of learning to do. "Germie just needs to learn the offense inside and out," Rodgers said. "And when he does that, he has a lot of great physical traits. He can get his feet in the ground quickly. He's very sudden. He's got natural hands. He's a great kid."
Monday, Aug. 10
The Steelers went through Mike McCarthy's planned "Franco Moment" on Monday and then navigated another of the intense drills as inclement weather forced the team to move inside midway through practice.
"We've been doing it really with the Franco Moments," quarterback Will Howard said. "Kind of just, hey, sudden change, two-minute, whether it's backed up like it was today or if something happens, and sometimes you're going to have to go into the locker room for a couple minutes and then come back out. And just dealing with different changes, different sudden adversities that obviously aren't ideal.
"I think obviously the rain is one thing, but just kind of dealing with that change of scenery and change of pace, I think we did a really good job of it."
The Steelers were able to practice outside for about an hour. They went through a series of individual periods before an inside run team period. Then, just before the storm hit, the "Monday Night Football" jingle played over the sound system to signal the Franco Moment. The coaches set the table for the situational period: The offense was backed up at its 1-yard line with a fresh set of downs. The offense could win by picking up a first down. The defense could win by getting a stop.
The offense sputtered as the fans started to evacuate the field. Rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard committed a false start on first down. On the second play, Aaron Rodgers hit Brandon Smith for a quick pop pass and a 6-yard gain. Then, RB Rico Dowdle ran up the middle for a 3-yard gain. Jaylen Warren got the ball on third-and-short, but the defense stuffed him to force a punt and get the win.
Though the Steelers had to move to Saint Vincent College's indoor facility after the period, Howard said they were still able to accomplish everything they had scheduled.
"Having that indoor is a big advantage for us this year compared to last year," Howard said. "We were kind of just up in the gym doing more of a walk-through, but we're still kind of half speed in the indoor just because we don't have a ton of space, but we have more space and it's way more real.
"You can kind of still see those looks and see those reps. It was really smooth, and I thought they handled it really well."
More observations:
McCarthy said before practice that rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor wouldn't practice Monday as he continues to recover from an undisclosed injury sustained in last Thursday's practice. But Iheanachor was in a jersey, pads and helmet when practice started Monday and even went through some individual reps. He didn't participate in the team periods open to viewing. Still, it marked the first action for Iheanachor since he left practice early Thursday after a neck and shoulder examination by team medical personnel.
Neither DK Metcalf nor Michael Pittman Jr. was spotted at practice. McCarthy said Pittman got banged up during the Saturday night practice, but the coach didn't disclose any issue with Metcalf. McCarthy has been tight-lipped about injuries and recovery timelines throughout camp. With the pair out, Roman Wilson led off the wide receiver drills as de facto WR1.
Howard hasn't played in a game since starting -- and winning -- the national championship in January 2025. Because of that, he's eager to get back on the field in the preseason game later this week as he battles Mason Rudolph and rookie Drew Allar in the quarterback depth chart. "I know everyone says preseason isn't real football, but to me it is," Howard said, adding that he hasn't been told how much he'll play Thursday against the Packers. "And I'm going to treat it as such and go out there and make the most out of my reps because I know it is important."
In training camp practices, McCarthy hasn't appeared to get loud or demonstrative after an offensive turnover. His players have noticed. "He absolutely does not throw a tantrum or a hissy fit," Rudolph said. "I think as a playcaller for so many years, he probably can't spend a lot of time riding the roller coaster himself just because he's got to get ready for the next play, the next series, the next drive."
Saturday, Aug. 8
Cornerback Jamel Dean got things started with a bang in the first play of the "Franco Moment" (Mike McCarthy's pop quiz team period formerly known as the "Mojo Moment" in Dallas) on Saturday night under the lights at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Dean jumped in front of Roman Wilson and intercepted Aaron Rodgers' first pass attempt then ran it back for a 35-yard pick-six.
"I love being off the field," veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. "And when we get turnovers like that, that accomplishes that. The best defenses are on the sideline."
In fact, the defense stayed on the sideline for much of the "Franco Moment" snaps. The group went on to win the period 3-0, as the next offense under Mason Rudolph stalled out and backup kicker Laith Marjan's 45-yard field goal attempt went wide left.
Like the first team, the third-team offense, led by Will Howard, was off the field after one play when Howard and running back Lew Nichols had a miscommunication on the handoff and the ball hit the turf. Rookie defensive lineman Kevin Jobity Jr., a recent addition, quickly snatched the ball to recover the fumble.
There's a man in a red wig holding a sign that says Gennings Dunker 4 President at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/NYuIEwjCta
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 8, 2026
More observations:
Official attendance for the sellout crowd at the Steelers' Saturday Night Lights practice checked in at 8,499.
While plenty of fans clamored for Rodgers' autograph along the fence line before practice, rookie offensive lineman and new Steelers cult hero Gennings Dunker got some love too. One fan made a sign that read "Gennings Dunker 4 President!!" and wore a red mullet wig to match Dunker's signature 'do. Dunker signed the poster and posed for a selfie with the fan. "I've not met a person I didn't like or a bad person, so I mean, everyone's been awesome," Dunker said of his reception in Pittsburgh. "And it's almost like a big small town, is kind of how I would explain it. That's kind of the vibe I've been getting, and it's been awesome."
Quarterback Drew Allar had a solid night slinging the deep ball, connecting with Robert Tonyan and Brandon Smith on back-to-back plays in 7-on-7. "It felt really good," Allar said. "And it's been something I'm working on in terms of the trajectory of the throw. I kind of picked Aaron's brain on it maybe a week ago or so. To be able to finally get the chance to do it in, like, a live setting -- even though it's 7-on-7 but against live DBs and tight coverage -- felt really good."
Neither DK Metcalf nor Michael Pittman Jr. participated in the final team periods. A trainer appeared to look at Pittman's leg, but both Pittman and Metcalf kept their helmets throughout the end of practice, which would seemingly signal they weren't being held out because of injury.
Offensive lineman Broderick Jones, still working to regain his strength after spinal fusion surgery on a season-ending neck injury, won both of his pass rush reps during one-on-ones, first putting Nick Herbig, rushing from the right, on the ground then holding off Jack Sawyer from the left. "Broderick was a first-round pick for a reason," Herbig said. "Guy's got all the talent in the world. He has all the intangibles. He's got the physicality for it. And it's just a matter of feeling confident again, coming back from injury like that. But I know that he can do it. I've seen it firsthand."
Friday, Aug. 7
Thunderstorms in the area Friday morning forced the Steelers to adjust their practice schedule. Not only did the team close practice to fans because of lightning in the area, but coach Mike McCarthy also pushed the start time to 11:30 a.m. to give the group as much time as possible to decide between holding practice outdoors or moving to the new indoor facility at St. Vincent College.
The team managed to squeeze in an abbreviated practice outside between storm cells, practicing for an hour and 45 minutes instead of the scheduled 2 hours and 30 minutes. McCarthy cut out some of the individual work, but he still got in all of the preplanned scheme installations.
"These two practices yesterday and today, they're the most difficult," McCarthy said Friday morning. "You got four installs already in. You can play games with the first four installs, but now you're adding a second, third down package. We put in short yardage yesterday. Today will be the second red zone package that'll go in. We'll also install goal line. We'll do that thud tempo. We'll do some two-minutes today.
"This is a really good practice. It gives you everything."
Coach McCarthy spoke to the media.
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 7, 2026
More observations:
The Steelers seemed to get good news on rookie tackle Max Iheanachor after the first-round pick left practice early Thursday. Though Iheanachor missed Friday's practice, McCarthy said he expected Iheanachor back on Monday.
McCarthy said he wasn't pleased with Thursday's practice, specifically saying there were too many mental lapses, including the seven pre-snap penalties he counted. Not among them, though, were the chippy moments and heated altercations between players. "I'd be more concerned if we didn't have that," McCarthy said. "So it's part of football. It's part of the game."
Thursday, Aug. 6
Rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor left practice after about an hour and didn't return after appearing to suffer an upper-body injury Thursday. The team's medical staff extensively evaluated the offensive tackle's shoulder and neck area on the sideline, and he eventually walked up the hill to the locker room with an athletic trainer.
Coach Mike McCarthy talks to the media before practice only, so he's expected to give an update on Iheanachor before Friday morning's practice.
Iheanachor was making significant progress through the early portions of camp before the injury. In the initial preseason depth chart, he was listed as the second-team right tackle. And though McCarthy was quick to tell reporters not to put much stock in the required depth chart, Iheanachor has consistently been working with the second-team offensive line.
"Max has had a great start," center Zach Frazier said. "Obviously for any rookie coming in, it's a lot. It's just an NFL offense, but every day he's taking steps. He doesn't really make the same mistakes twice. So he's coachable, and I'm really happy with how he's done so far."
With Iheanachor out, Broderick Jones took the bulk of second-team reps at right tackle. He was inconsistent in the role as he continues to work his way back from season-ending neck surgery. Though he has been cleared to return to all football activities, Jones, who was the team's starting left tackle last season before his injury, is still regaining his strength and getting back his technique.
Joe Manganiello and his little dog are at Steelers camp today pic.twitter.com/am9t5WhzcV
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 6, 2026
More observations:
DT Cameron Heyward appeared to have a veteran day on Thursday, his first of training camp.
Tempers flared several times throughout Thursday's practice -- the first full-length practice of training camp. RB Lew Nichols and DB D'Shawn Jamison got into a scuffle, and WR Ben Skowronek and LB Payton Wilson got chippy after Skowronek shoved Patrick Queen in his helmet after a play in a team period. "People are tired, people are sore," Wilson said. "We're just competing. We love each other. Brothers fight all the time. So someone messes up, we getting into it a little bit, then we'll be in here eating lunch in 30 minutes together."
Actor Joe Manganiello, a Pittsburgh native, was at training camp practice Thursday, and he brought his little dog with him.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
Midway through an individual period of the Steelers' Tuesday practice, the "Monday Night Football" jingle interrupted the Drake song that had been playing over the speakers on the St. Vincent College practice fields.
The players paused, processing what they were hearing, then dropped everything and ran to the 5-yard line at the other end of the field. Center Zach Frazier snapped the ball as soon as the first-team offense lined up against the first-team defense, kicking off a series of five quick red zone plays.
The offense scored just once as Mason Rudolph hit Ben Skowronek in the end zone, while the defense got three stops and was flagged for pass interference in the end zone. As soon as those five snaps were over, the DJ resumed playing Drake, and the players went back to their individual drill stations to finish the period.
That officially marked the first "Mojo Moment" of coach Mike McCarthy's Steelers tenure.
"I think that period is awesome because it simulates a real game," defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day said. "Down 14-0, what are you going to do? A sudden change, and now you're on your 5-yard line, you got to get a stop. What do you do? And I feel like that is really going to help us prepare for those moments."
Named for the Austin Powers movie franchise, the surprise drill Mojo Moment is a midpractice pop quiz. It can come at any time, and it's meant to ingrain the importance of staying ready in the players.
"If you're prepared, then it's an easy test," safety DeShon Elliott said.
McCarthy did it during practices in Dallas, too. Elliott remembers waiting out a rain delay against the Cowboys a couple of years ago. The Mojo Moment drill would've come in handy then, he said.
"You got to sit inside a little bit, and then you got to come back out and get started right now," Elliott said. "So I think that's what he was trying to simulate, just being able to go out there and see who can really [tough it out] when it's time to in situations like that."
More observations from the day:
Cornerback Jamel Dean had an up-and-down practice. He was burned a couple of times, including by Roman Wilson on a slant in the end zone for a score in an 11-on-11 period. On the very next play, DK Metcalf beat him on a quick out for a score, too. But Dean responded with two pass breakups in the practice-ending two-minute drill, each as he guarded Wilson in tight coverage.
Elliott is still working his way back from a season-ending knee injury suffered midway through last season, but he plans to ramp up his practice participation next week. "I really feel good," he said. "I feel fast, explosive, cutting, making plays. It's a process. I'll be ready Week 1."
After a relatively mild first day in pads Monday, the Steelers were noticeably more energetic and chippy in Tuesday's practice before Wednesday's light walk-through day. Joseph-Day and tackle Troy Fautanu got into a verbal altercation at the end of a one-on-one pass rush period when Joseph-Day took exception to where Fautanu lined up. McCarthy, though, wanted his team to turn up the intensity Tuesday, and he said as much in team meetings before practice. "Just picking up the urgency, picking up the physicality and things like that," running back Rico Dowdle said of McCarthy's message. "He talked about that before practice, and I think it came out today."
Monday, Aug. 3
The Steelers' Monday morning meeting featured a different kind of film study before their first day in pads. Instead of practice footage, coach Mike McCarthy pulled up the viral video of tight end Pat Freiermuth pulling a kid out from the crush of fans crowding the fence in an attempt to get autographs from players after Saturday's practice.
"That was hilarious," quarterback Will Howard said of the video, adding that they dubbed Freiermuth the "unsung hero of the week" for his quick thinking to protect the young fan.
"Situational awareness. We talk about it all the time. On and off the field."
A scrum broke out between a couple of adults Saturday as Freiermuth and his teammates worked the autograph line, a hallmark of the Steelers' practices at St. Vincent College. Freiermuth noticed a child in front of him and snagged him, lifting him up and over the mesh fence as the the shoving escalated.
"I just saw a bunch of people tumbling down and fighting," Freiermuth said. "I looked down at the kid I was signing for, and he looked a little scared, so it was the least I could do."
Freiermuth also joked the fans weren't fighting over his autograph, but instead they wanted one from Howard.
"If you're going to fight for an autograph, it can't be Will Howard's," he said with a laugh. While Howard was quick to say he doesn't condone fans -- especially adults -- fighting over his autograph, he added that the fan element of Steelers training camp is part of what makes it special.
"Yeah, it's crazy," Howard said. "It's a good feeling to be wanted. And at this point, I just want to give them something to cheer about because I really haven't been able to go out in the field and give them any product to really cheer for."
Yinzers fighting for autographs at SVC, via telebo10 on IG #Steelers #NFL 😂 https://t.co/mXZAk1uBuC pic.twitter.com/nxQwKNj0co
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 1, 2026
More observations from the day:
The defense won each of the practice-ending two-minute drills. The first came as linebacker Patrick Queen picked off Aaron Rodgers in the end zone on a pass that appeared to be intended for running back Rico Dowdle. On the second, Howard's final heave to the end zone on fourth down was broken up by rookie cornerback Daylen Everette.
Despite coach Mike McCarthy saying he was "absolutely" a fan of backs-on-backers, the Steelers' first day of padded practice didn't feature that physical drill. Instead, the Steelers had an offensive line vs. pass rush period during 7-on-7.
Wide receiver Cole Burgess left practice on a cart after appearing to injure his knee as he tried to catch a deep pass from Howard. Earlier in the day, Burgess hauled in a deep ball from rookie quarterback Drew Allar.
First-round pick Max Iheanachor worked primarily as the second-team right tackle throughout practice and turned in a solid performance. "He's making strides every single day, and he works really hard," said left tackle Troy Fautanu, who was the team's 2024 first-round pick. "I'm excited for him and for the rest of the training camp and how it plays out."
Rodgers told Mike Silver of The Athletic that he expected to play in the Steelers' two home preseason games. McCarthy seemingly confirmed the plan, though said it hasn't been finalized. "He'd like to play," McCarthy said Monday morning. "I would like to see him play, but we won't make a decision until we get all the way up to it because there's more that goes into that, just having one player play. It's the combination of players."
Saturday, Aug. 1
Nobody had a louder cheering section than safety Jaquan Brisker at Saturday's practice.
The Pittsburgh native and former Penn State star had more than 100 family members, all wearing gold shirts customized with his name and No. 3, and numerous coaches from his prep football days sitting in the stands at St. Vincent College for a football practice-turned-family reunion organized by one of his uncles.
"... My dad texted me and was like, 'Yeah, [the family] is going to come up here,'" Brisker, a 2022 second-round pick, said. "I texted some of the Steelers, and they got them a section. ... Just a lot of love and support, and I really appreciate it."
"[My teammates] were like, 'Look at the Brisker section,' making jokes and things like that."
Though Brisker, who spent four years with the Chicago Bears before signing with the Steelers in free agency earlier this year, didn't get a chance to pick off a pass in front of his extended family, he celebrated wildly in their direction after cornerback Brandin Echols broke up a pass from Aaron Rodgers during the final team period.
"Got to bring the energy," Brisker said. "I'm blessed to step on the field every single day and walk off every single day. I'm blessed to walk off today. And I've been loving it since I was 4. And being a Pittsburgh guy, this is all I breathe was football."
Afterward, Brisker's family came down to see him on the field and got him to sign each of their shirts. From there, the group was headed to eat a big meal together. Brisker, though, had team meetings.
"I'm going to miss out the cookout, but it's OK," he said. "Hopefully, they save me a plate."
Group pic of the Brisker family https://t.co/3YcJ6GQ35x pic.twitter.com/xkJ4CvuqSb
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 1, 2026
Friday, July 31
To cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., every year is a "prove-it" year. And through three days of Steelers camp, he has more than done that with several head-turning plays in team periods.
"You got to prove yourself each and every year," the 2021 Los Angeles Chargers second-round pick said. "And just coming back from my injuries from last year, played a couple games last year, so trying to build off that and just show them how I was before I got injured."
Samuel, who joined the Steelers as a free agent last year after a lengthy recovery from a spinal fusion surgery to correct a chronic issue, has benefited from the absence of Joey Porter Jr. (physically unable to perform list with his back) and made the most of his time Friday with a number of pass breakups and near interceptions.
"He's frankly been one of my favorite players since I arrived here," Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said of Samuel, who made three starts last season and grabbed an interception. "I just love the way he works. He's extremely physical. His ball skills are off the charts. That's a big thing. That's something I really look for in defensive backs. We want to take the ball away, catch the flash of the ball. And he has all that.
"He's been here every single day, offseason program. He's had two really good practices so far. His first day, he did a really nice job. So I think the young man's a hell of a football player."
Not only does McCarthy consider him "a hell of a football player" -- Samuel also came up as a prospective U.S. Olympic flag football team member. "I was talking to Art [Rooney II] about the flag football candidates, and I think his name was one of the names come up," McCarthy said. "I mean, he'd be on my flag football team, too. Hell, I'd play him on offense just because of his skill set."
Samuel, though, isn't thinking about branching out to flag football just yet.
"I mean, I guess," he said with a shrug. "But I'm just trying to focus on right now and this season and trying to win the Super Bowl."
Best sign I've seen at Steelers camp
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) July 31, 2026
"I can't scream. I just got my tonsils aht" pic.twitter.com/mvB3q77Zoi
More observations from the day:
Friday's practice was a lighter day, with the Steelers in shorts and hats for what McCarthy characterized as a "mock game." That doesn't mean the team went all-out in a scrimmage for the allotted practice time. Instead, it was essentially an extended walk-through to go over the installs -- many of them for two-minute and situational moments -- learned in the first two days. "I've always tried to kind of go one or two, do two installs, review, two installs, review," McCarthy said. "So it kind of matches the workload capacity of what you're looking for. Next week we'll have two padded practices, review, then we'll have three padded practices. ... It's a flow that really works physically, mentally, and it really gives you a chance to hit all the situations."
Roman Wilson continued to be highlighted in the offense, specifically moving around the inside receiving positions, but McCarthy said he's also planning to use the third-year wide receiver on the outside. "I haven't even talked to him yet about this, but I think we can start working a little bit more outside, too," McCarthy said. "Because his vertical speed and his ability to -- we call it the Autobahn out there on the numbers -- he has an excellent skill set for that."
As a Pittsburgh native, rookie Eli Heidenreich has been embraced by Steelers fans at his first camp. Some of them even went way back in the archives to present him with a unique artifact to be autographed. "Someone from Mount Lebanon had a printed-out picture of me in, like, sixth grade," he said. "... I think they went to the same middle school or go to the same middle school that I attended. I absolutely went over there and signed up for them."
Thursday, July 30
Through two practices, the Steelers have had four 11-on-11 team periods: two two-minute periods and two after an early-practice play install period.
By comparison, one Mike Tomlin training camp practice might have had at least four team periods.
Coach Mike McCarthy, however, is emphasizing the fundamentals over teamwork in his early camp practices, drilling down on the "Steelers Six." McCarthy coaches those "primary" fundamentals -- ball security, blocking, tackling, big plays, pursuit and finish and mannerisms and disguises -- through individual periods tailored to strengthen those fundamentals, extensive post-practice film study and pre-practice "talk-throughs."
"Ball security is No. 1," McCarthy said. "Blocking, obviously sustain it, and obviously getting off blocks. Tackling, big plays are fundamentals. You can't win in the National Football League without big plays. Each game, if you look at the league average, it averages about three to six a game. So you got to emphasize it. The finish -- the pursuit and finish -- is clearly a big part of that too.
"And one that we spend a lot of time in particularly because the way we have to train more than ever in the offseason is the mannerisms. Mannerisms in disguise is a big part of pro football. I think it's particularly coming from the quarterback position. My history, you spend time there, but the games evolve that way where both sides of the ball are doing it a lot more here, even seeing it more in special teams."
Aaron Rodgers ➡️ Robert Tonyan, just like old times pic.twitter.com/zGqD0DUxkC
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) July 30, 2026
More observations:
QB Aaron Rodgers capped off an 11-on-11 two-minute drill with a touchdown throw to DK Metcalf in the back of the end zone over rookie Daylen Everette. Rodgers, who failed to score in Wednesday's two-minute period, marched his group from the 35 with 1:39 to go and two timeouts thanks in large part to two big completions to Metcalf over the middle.
Will Howard's practice-ending two-minute drill was less successful as he floated a pass over Max Hurleman in the middle of the field and safety Sebastian Castro picked it off.
The Steelers continued to mix things up on the offensive line as Broderick Jones took snaps at left and right tackle.
CB Asante Samuel Jr. had another strong day, this time turning heads with a well-timed pass breakup of a deep ball from Mason Rudolph intended for Pat Freiermuth. Samuel jumped the sideline route to knock the ball away and celebrated with his teammates in the secondary after the splash play.
Wednesday, July 29
McCarthy's first training camp practice as Steelers coach concluded with chaos. Controlled, planned, purposeful chaos. After a team meeting in which McCarthy emphasized the importance of two-minute football and told his players that more than half of their games would come down to those crucial situations, McCarthy wrapped up the hour-and-15-minute practice with two 7-on-7 two-minute drills and a similarly situational 11-on-11 period.
A couple of rookies, including Drew Allar and Germie Bernard, are still on the field signing autographs more than 40 minutes after practice ended pic.twitter.com/LQV8M1ry7v
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) July 29, 2026
"There's so many games that come down to that last drive," wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. said. "Just the fact that we're practicing it every single day, I think we'll be the most conditioned team by the end of camp."
In the first 7-on-7 period, the coaches told the offense they had 1:14 to go in the first half with two timeouts, and they started from the 35-yard line. In the second period, the offense had 45 seconds and started from the 41. And finally in 11-on-11, McCarthy put four seconds on the clock, and the Steelers ran through six game-ending plays at various downs and distances.
Before each play, a coach shouted the down-and-distance and starting yard line into a megaphone as the offense rushed to line up, adding to the urgency of the period.
"It's just situations at the end of the game we're trying to rep, because they don't always come up in preseason games, and they don't always come up in practice when you're just doing a period of 12 plays with pass under pressure," quarterback Mason Rudolph said. "So getting those reps and knowing, OK, if we get to this area of the field, this is the play it's going to be called. I think just building that confidence in the concepts is important."
Only one quarterback threw a touchdown in any of those three situational periods: rookie Drew Allar, connecting with tight end Robert Tonyan in the end zone on the final play of the day.
"It felt good," Allar said. "I feel like it's just getting more reps under my belt."
Aaron Rodgers says "zero debate" this is his last year pic.twitter.com/mVBPrlZOHc
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) July 28, 2026
Other observations from the day:
Practice started promptly at 11:30 Wednesday morning, and the final touchdown pass was caught at 12:47, just seconds after the scheduled ending of 12:46. The earlier practice time is a departure from the 2 p.m. starts of former coach Mike Tomlin's era. "I like the morning practice a little bit better," Rudolph said. "We had great practices here in the last few years at 2 o'clock, but sometimes you feel like you're waiting around for it all day. So it's nice to get out there and get it done, watch the film in the afternoon."
With Joey Porter Jr. on the physically unable to perform list, Asante Samuel Jr. got a bump in his volume of reps and responded with two crucial PBUs during the 7-on-7 two-minute drill, including one on a deep pass attempt from Aaron Rodgers to DK Metcalf down the sideline to bring up fourth down.
Asked about the injury that landed Porter Jr. on the PUP list Tuesday, McCarthy said Porter had something that "flared up" during their mobility workout. A source told ESPN on Tuesday that Porter aggravated his back. McCarthy didn't give a timeline for Porter's return, but the cornerback, who is awaiting a contract extension, was on the sideline to watch practice Wednesday.
Under-the-radar free agent signing Brandon Smith caught back-to-back passes from Rodgers during the first team period, kicking off a strong start to camp from the former New York Jets wide receiver. The Iowa product made three appearances in two seasons for the Jets, including playing one snap in 2024 when Rodgers was on the field.
Broderick Jones, returning to practice for the first time since his late November season-ending neck injury, took reps at second-team left tackle.
First-round pick Max Iheanachor primarily took snaps with the second team at right tackle, but he took at least one first-team rep.
During the first punt return period, rookie Kaden Wetjen led off the rotation of returners followed by WR Roman Wilson and WR Cole Burgess.
Tuesday, July 28
Perhaps no Steelers pass catcher is getting more love than third-year wide receiver Roman Wilson. During their report-day news conferences, QB Aaron Rodgers and WR DK Metcalf praised the young player, who was a healthy scratch down the stretch last season.
"I think the guy out of anybody that's really shown this new staff -- because it is a new staff -- a lot of great tape is Roman Wilson," Rodgers said. "Roman had a really nice spring. Got to know him on a deeper level during that trip, which was fun."
Wilson was one of several players, including Metcalf, who went to a ranch with Rodgers for a four-day outing during the offseason.
"It was good bonding around the campfire," Rodgers said. "Good activities out where we were at and got out on the river and fished and did some things and rode some horses and we had a good time."
Other observations from the day:
McCarthy's training camp won't feature live tackling in team drills. "You have to assess stress in everything you do," McCarthy said. "I look at it as one of the primary responsibilities of being a head coach and one of the primary focal points of being in charge of the training regimen for your football team. Tackling is a good way to go. I've done it, but I feel like we'll be able to get it done in other ways of training, particularly in our tackling drills, in the team drills."
Though he has never kept more than three quarterbacks on his opening week roster, McCarthy didn't rule out the possibility of keeping all four this time around. "Don't know why it wouldn't be," he said of it being an option. "I'm not philosophically opposed of keeping the best players. ... I think all four of those guys, if you're picking a team today, will be definitely part of that 53 conversation."
Metcalf said he really liked the immersive nature of the Steelers' training camp in Latrobe. "I went to Walmart, got to see people I don't normally see, some Latrobians, if you will, or Steelers fans from around the state," Metcalf said. "And I think it's just a great aspect just to see other people that you normally don't get to see. Plus people that don't really get to see us during the season, we come an hour away to St. Vincent and just immerse ourselves in this community."