Football is back. Kind of. If you’re a die-hard Yinzer, the Steelers first preseason game on August 9, 2025, felt like a long-overdue reunion at EverBank Stadium. Pittsburgh walked away with a 31-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but honestly, the final score is the least interesting thing about what went down in Florida.
Preseason is a weird beast. You’ve got starters wearing bucket hats on the sideline and guys you've never heard of fighting for their professional lives in the fourth quarter. This game was a perfect example of that chaos. It was a night where the household names stayed chilled and the "nobodies" suddenly became the talk of the town.
The Quarterback Room Just Got Crowded
The headline everyone expected to read was about Aaron Rodgers making his debut in the black and gold. Except, he didn't. Mike Tomlin kept the veteran on the bench, which left the door wide open for some unexpected drama at the position.
Mason Rudolph returned to the fold after a stint in Tennessee and looked surprisingly sharp. He’s comfortable. He knows the building. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 84 yards on the opening drive. It culminated in a 19-yard touchdown strike to Darnell Washington, who used his massive 6-foot-7 frame to basically erase a Jaguars defender in the end zone.
But the real story? Skylar Thompson.
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Nobody was talking about Thompson in Latrobe this summer. He was essentially QB4. Then he stepped onto the field in Jacksonville and went nuclear. Thompson finished 20-of-28 for 233 yards and three touchdowns. He looked poised, decisive, and—most importantly—aggressive. He posted a 132.0 passer rating. That's the kind of performance that makes a coaching staff rethink their entire depth chart over a midnight flight back to Pittsburgh.
Winners and Losers from the Roster Bubble
Preseason games are basically high-stakes job interviews. Some guys nailed the presentation, while others might be looking for new work by Monday.
- Darnell Washington: He’s finally looking like the red-zone threat we’ve been waiting for. With Rodgers potentially under center in the regular season, Washington’s ability to win jump balls is going to be a massive asset.
- Max Hurleman: An undrafted guy from Notre Dame who didn't even have a clear position on the roster. He caught a 3-yard touchdown and suddenly everyone is scrambling to check his jersey number.
- Ke’Shawn Williams: The rookie from Indiana made a spectacular grab over a defender for a 26-yard score. It wasn't just a catch; it was a "look at me" moment that usually secures a practice squad spot at the very least.
- Kaleb Johnson: On the flip side, the running back had a rough outing. He struggled to find lanes and looked a step slow compared to the Jaguars' speed. It's only one game, but in the preseason, one bad night can be a death sentence for a bubble player.
Defensive Notes and Rookie Reports
The defense was missing the heavy hitters. No T.J. Watt. No Cam Heyward. No Joey Porter Jr.
Instead, we saw a lot of Payton Wilson. The rookie linebacker was everywhere, showing off the sideline-to-sideline speed that made him a draft-day steal. He’s got that classic Steelers nastiness. Along the line, DeMarvin Leal showed some flashes of the pass-rush talent that’s been dormant for a while.
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The secondary was a bit of a mixed bag. They allowed Trevor Lawrence to march down the field for a field goal on the Jaguars' opening possession. Lawrence went 6-of-7 for 43 yards against the Steelers' backups. It wasn't a disaster, but the communication in the back end looked a little shaky at times.
Why This Specific Game Matters
You can’t overreact to August football. Arthur Smith, the new offensive coordinator, was keeping the playbook pretty vanilla. We didn't see the full "Rodgers-to-Metcalf" connection that has fans dreaming of a Super Bowl run.
However, we did see offensive identity. The Steelers were 6-of-9 on third downs. They had five pass plays of over 20 yards. That’s a level of explosiveness that was completely absent from the Matt Canada era. Even with reserve players on the field, the scheme looked modern. It looked functional.
The Jaguars gave them a scare late, cutting the lead to 24-22 after a Bhayshul Tuten touchdown run, but Thompson stayed cool. He led a 70-yard drive to seal it. That's the kind of "finish" Mike Tomlin preaches about in every training camp meeting.
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Actionable Insights for Steelers Fans
If you're trying to read the tea leaves for the rest of the month, keep an eye on these specific movements:
- Watch the QB3 Spot: Will Howard missed this game with an injury. Thompson’s performance just put immense pressure on the rookie to get healthy and produce.
- Monitor the O-Line Depth: Protection was okay, but not great. Mason McCormick got plenty of reps at guard, and his development is crucial for the long-term health of the unit.
- Special Teams Impact: Pay attention to who is making tackles on kickoffs. Guys like James Pierre and Beanie Bishop are making their cases there, and that’s often the tiebreaker for the final roster spots.
The road to the regular season opener against the Jets is still long. There’s a lot of tape to watch and a lot of mistakes to fix in the "sauna" of Latrobe. But for one Saturday night in Jacksonville, the Steelers looked like a team with more depth than we realized.
The next step is simple: see if these "preseason stars" can do it again when the lights get even brighter at Acrisure Stadium.