Packers Preseason Schedule: What We Know for OTAs, Minicamp, Training Camp

Here are the key dates for the Packers in terms of OTAs, minicamp, training camp, the shareholders meeting, the preseason and roster cuts.

Green Bay Packers receiver Christian Watson slaps hands with fans as he rides a bicycle to practice at training camp last year. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Aaron Rodgers farewell tour will begin against the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay will kick off the 2026 preseason at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 13. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Central.

Whether Rodgers will play against his former team is anyone’s guess. Rodgers didn’t play in the preseason last year with the Steelers, though that could change under new coach Mike McCarthy. And, of course, he might want to lace them up one more time – even if it’s only a series or two in an exhibition game – against his former team.

If Rodgers doesn’t play, Drew Allar and Will Howard will face the Packers.

“It’s not in my job description, but it’s a great opportunity, for sure,” Rodgers said of mentoring Allar, a third-round pick in this year’s draft. “I’ll mentor Drew as much as he wants me to and I’ll continue to stay on Will.”

Howard helped Rodgers upon signing with Pittsburgh last year.

“I think it was pretty cool that he was willing to sit next to me and I remember even Day 1, he had a couple of things that we hadn't really gone over yet,” Howard said. “A couple things he was asking me for clarification on and I'm like, 'Holy s---, man, Aaron Rodgers is asking me questions right now, and I'm answering them. What is going on?'

“If you had told 9-year-old Will Howard watching Aaron hold up a Super Bowl trophy that I'd be telling him what a play is in a couple of years, you'd be crazy.”

Jordan Love and the Packers routed the Rodgers-led Steelers 35-25 in Pittsburgh last season.

The other two preseason games will be regular-season rematches, as well. Green Bay will play the Denver Broncos on Friday, Aug. 21, and host the Arizona Cardinals on Friday, Aug. 28.

Green Bay’s season turned on its head with a 34-26 loss at Denver last season. The Packers were rolling in what seemed like a potential Super Bowl preview until Christian Watson, Micah Parsons and Zach Tom were injured. Parsons and Tom wound up missing the rest of the season with knee injuries. The Packers lost that game and every other game.

The Packers won at Arizona 27-23, a comeback sparked by Lucas Havrisik’s 61-yard field goal before halftime and saved by Parsons’ three sacks. The Cardinals have a new coach, Mike LaFleur.

The Packers will host the Cardinals for a joint practice before the game.

Here are all the key dates before the Packers kick off the regular season at the Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Offseason Practices Continue

The Packers started three weeks of OTAs on Tuesday. The team had a mandatory day off on Thursday and will be back on the field on Friday.

Week 2 of OTAs will continue next week with practices on Monday, June 1, Tuesday, June 2, and Thursday, June 4.

OTAs will be interrupted by the three-day minicamp, which is set for Tuesday, June 9, through Thursday, June 11. Those are the only mandatory days on the offseason schedule.

The third and final week of OTAs will include practices on Monday, June 15, Tuesday, June 16, and Thursday, June 18.

Based on the schedule, it’s possible the veteran players will be excused from the final week of OTAs.

After that, the players will go their separate ways for an extended break before training camp.

Start of Training Camp and Family Night

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love and his then-fiancée Ronika Stone watch the fireworks at Family Night in 2024. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Packers have not released their training camp schedule. When might it start?

In 2025, their preseason opener was on Saturday, Aug. 9, against the Jets. Their first practice of training camp was Wednesday, July 23. That’s 17 days.

In 2024, the preseason opener was on Saturday, Aug. 10, against the Browns. Their first practice of training camp was Monday, July 22. That’s 19 days.

So, last year, the Packers’ preseason began one day earlier than in 2024 but training camp started one day later. It was 17 days before the first practice and the first game in 2025 and 19 days between the first practice and first game in 2024.

This year, they will begin the preseason on Aug. 13 against the Steelers. Based on the 17-day span in 2025, their first practice of training camp would be on Monday, July 27. Based on the 19-day span in 2024, their first practice of training camp would be on Saturday, July 25.

With their first preseason game landing on a Thursday, that probably would put Family Night on Friday, Aug. 7.

Packers Preseason Schedule

Thursday, Aug. 13: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 21: at Denver Broncos, 8 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 28, home vs. Arizona Cardinals, 7 p.m.

All three games will air on the Packers TV Network; there are no national broadcasts scheduled.

Two More Key Dates

• The Packers announced the annual shareholders meeting will begin at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 27 in Lambeau Field.

• The league announced on Thursday that rosters must be reduced from 90 players to 53 by 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30.

That’s roster cuts and other transactions to get to the roster limit, such as potentially placing Parsons on the physically unable to perform list. That would sideline him for at least the first four games.

“Micah is doing great,” LaFleur said before Wednesday’s practice.

Cutdown day was Tuesday last year, and the deadline had been 3 p.m. for many years. Waiver claims are due by noon the following day. After that, practice squads can be formed.

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