Mike McCarthy changed the way the Pittsburgh Steelers do team captains, and the first weekly leaders have since been revealed.
According to PennLive's Nick Farabaugh, the Steelers
' first team captains for Week 1 are none other than quarterback Aaron Rodgers, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, and linebacker Carson Bruener, tasked with leading their respective offensive, defensive, and special teams units.The Steelers' captains this week are Cam Heyward, Aaron Rodgers, and Carson Bruener.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) September 13, 2026
Rodgers, heading into Year 22, is expected to retire following the 2026 NFL season. Heyward has also flirted with retirement talks over the past several months, hinting that it could happen very soon.
Bruener, selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2025
NFL Draft, was an outstanding special teamer as a rookie and is emerging as a standout depth contributor at linebacker. Former Steelers special teamer and multiple-time team captain Miles Killebrew left a huge role to fill that Bruener will intend to fill in 2026.
Considering that Rodgers and Heyward are the oldest active Steelers at 42 years old and 37 years old, respectively, it comes as no surprise they were given the weekly team captain role. We at Steelers Wire anticipate three new players could receive the honor for next week's game against the New England Patriots.
For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including injury updates and Pittsburgh's exciting Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers reveal first weekly team captains, which includes Aaron Rodgers
