A new Steelers era got rolling Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, with Mike McCarthy making his first official run as Pittsburgh’s head coach and Aaron Rodgers under center for a Week 1 meeting with the Falcons.
The opener came with a twist for Atlanta. Falcons starter Tua Tagovailoa was ruled out with an oblique injury, and Cooper Rush got the call despite dealing with back spasms on Saturday. It was the 17th start of Rush’s career.
Pittsburgh also had a notable absence before kickoff, with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. officially listed as inactive after days of speculation about his status.
The Steelers opened the game with Kaden Wetjen returning the kickoff to the Pittsburgh 38-yard line, and the first drive for Rodgers and company stalled out with a three-and-out. But the defense answered right away. Alex Highsmith got to Rush on third down to force a punt, and Pittsburgh’s offense soon settled in enough to put Chris Boswell in range.
Rodgers could not connect with Rico Dowdle on third down, but Boswell made the most of the setup, drilling a 43-yard field goal to give the Steelers a 3-0 lead.
At the time of the update, that was the difference in the game.
Steelers vs. Falcons was scheduled for 1 p.m.
ET on Sunday, Sept. 13, and aired on Fox. The game also was available to stream on DIRECTV and fubo.
Pittsburgh’s 2026 regular season opened with the Falcons before a Week 2 trip to the Patriots and a Week 3 home date with the Bengals.
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Steelers Suddenly Face A Bigger Joey Porter Jr. Problem Than Week 1
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Porters situation now has a longer shadow over it because there still is no long-term extension in place. With the injury, the lost summer work, and the contract uncertainty all hanging over the same player, the Steelers are suddenly dealing with more than just a short-term absence, and the possibility of a trade before he suits up again has started to circulate. [Read more 🡒]