The NFL schedule makers must be kicking themselves.
They drove all the way down to the goal line only to fumble the snap. The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers will kick off the preseason. It's Mike McCarthy's first game in Pittsburgh, and Aaron Rodgers could start. All the ingredients are there for the kind of storytelling the league loves.
Then they decided to put it in Pittsburgh. It made no sense at the time, and Rodgers has echoed the feelings of many Packers fans.
"Yeah, I was definitely bummed out that we weren't in Lambeau for this one," Rodgers said, via The Athletic's Matt Schneidman.
"I was really hoping it was going to be in Green Bay for a lot of reasons. It would have been strange being in that locker room and stuff, but I would have found my way over, like many former players have over the years, found my way over to Flea's office (longtime head trainer Bryan Engel) and hang out back there and 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."
NFL robbed itself of the perfect Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy Lambeau reunion
He's so right. And that's just the beginning. Remember the reception Mike McCarthy received at Lambeau when he returned for a game in Green Bay last September?
Now imagine his return with Rodgers by his side. It would've been Rodgers' first appearance at Lambeau Field since he famously walked off with Randall Cobb after the Packers' season-ending defeat to the Detroit Lions in 2022.
The Packers and Steelers could've held a joint practice down the road at Ray Nitschke Field.
Talk about stories. Imagine Rodgers and Jordan Love together again at practice. Back where the passing of the torch began six years ago. McCarthy stood next to Matt LaFleur, two coaches responsible for 201 of the Packers' 819 victories and nine of their 21 division titles.
It's not just Rodgers and McCarthy, either.
Just look at McCarthy's staff. There's James Campen, who spent 15 years in Green Bay and coached some of the greatest offensive lines in recent franchise history. Jahri Evans, who was part of one of those Packers offensive lines. There's Joe Whitt Jr., who spent over a decade in Green Bay. Jason Simmons. Frank Cignetti Jr. The list goes on.
Then there's the roster. Beyond Rodgers, there are Robert Tonyan and Dean Lowry, who collectively played 179 games for the Packers.
But Rodgers and McCarthy alone would've given NFL Films enough ammunition to last for weeks. The quarterback-coach combination that brought the Packers' last Lombardi Trophy home, where it belongs. Back in Green Bay one final time.
The story wrote itself. Rodgers' comments echo the thoughts of so many Packers fans. However, while the game won't be in Green Bay, it'll still be surreal to see Rodgers and McCarthy reunited for one final dance. And on that note, we'll let McCarthy have the final word.
It again highlights just how badly the NFL botched this preseason opener. Here's what McCarthy said about Green Bay in a recent interview for FOX 6 Milwaukee:
"Green Bay will always be such a huge part of my heart. I'm very proud of what we were able to accomplish during our time together there, I'm talking about everybody," McCarthy said. "Thirteen years is a long time, but I woke up every day excited to go to work. I think that's important. I hope that was reflected in how I interacted with my peers. So many great people there in Green Bay. It was a great time. It's definitely something that I'll always cherish."
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