It’s a fresh week around the league, and the calendar is already pushing toward the first game of the 2026 season. The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers will get things rolling in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, and from there, football is back on our screens every week until the week of February 21st.
In Pittsburgh, the Steelers put the pads on for the first time today. Monday’s practice will be a focal point, and Joey Bray and I will be sharing our thoughts on it. For now, here’s the Monday Three Rivers Report.
One of the biggest Steelers notes comes from Aaron Rodgers, who told Michael Silver of The Athletic at training camp that he was fighting flu-like symptoms in the team’s playoff loss to the Texans this past January. Silver’s reporting adds a new layer to that game, with Rodgers saying the illness was part of what he was dealing with that day.
There’s also plenty of buzz on the defensive side. Chris Halicke of DK Pittsburgh Sports pulled quotes from several defenders who had a lot to say about Patrick Graham, with one line standing out in the piece: “I like how he talks:”
Training camp has already produced a few broader takeaways too. Rob Gregson of A to Z Sports broke down Week 1 with a look at Drew Allar vs. Will Howard, some surprise names in position battles, and a budding star at cornerback.
Elsewhere around the NFL, Anthony Marino of Buffalo Rumblings wrote about Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer and the possibility of a bounce-back season in 2026. The Texans also brought back a familiar name, signing edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney. And over at Turf Show Times, JB Scott examined the injury that has kept Myles Garrett out of four Rams practices.
In Other News...
Aaron Rodgers Just Dragged The Steelers Into Another NFL Firestorm
Aaron Rodgers used a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show to take aim at the way the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal has been covered, arguing the media has not done enough with the story. The comments added another layer of attention to a controversy that has already made the rounds in NFL circles, with an anonymous former NFL scout also suggesting that major outlets have been careful about how they handle it.
For the Steelers, it is one more headline attached to Rodgers as he heads into the final year of his NFL career in 2026, the same season Pittsburgh already has its preseason slate mapped out. Rodgers remains a lightning rod whenever he speaks, and this latest outburst only ensures the conversation around him will keep following the Steelers into the summer rather than fading with the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Will Howard Is Giving Steelers Fans A Real Backup QB Debate
During the first week of Steelers training camp, Will Howard made enough noise to turn a depth-chart exercise into something worth watching. The rookie showed notable improvement and stood out among Pittsburghs quarterbacks, even as head coach Mike McCarthy had Mason Rudolph working with the second team while Howard and Drew Allar were grouped with the third.
Howards camp start has added a little real intrigue behind the starter, because this no longer looks like a simple placeholder battle. If he keeps stacking days like this, the conversation around the backup job could become a legitimate one, with Howard pushing to make himself more than just a developmental name on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Forced To Address Aaron Rodgers After Latest Off Field Outburst
Aaron Rodgers has already managed to drag the Steelers into a conversation they did not ask to join. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci, pointed to Faucis Senate testimony and invoked the Fifth Amendment, prompting Pittsburgh to step in with a statement explaining that while Rodgers is entitled to his personal views, those views do not automatically reflect the organizations stance.
For the Steelers, it is a familiar kind of awkwardness, the sort that comes with having a quarterback whose comments can quickly become a separate storyline from the football itself. The team has been in this position before with backup Mason Rudolph, and while this latest flare-up is not about anything on the field, it again puts Pittsburgh in the position of answering for a players public remarks instead of focusing on the roster. [Read more 🡒]