Thursday’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals will feature two quarterbacks over the age of 40.
If Aaron Rodgers wasn’t aware of the age factor, his teammate Cameron Heyward made sure to let him know.
“Oldest quarterbacks playing this week, let’s go,” the defensive tackle said as Rodgers stepped up to microphones for his weekly media availability. “Icy Hot Bowl, I love it!”
Rodgers is less than two months shy of his 42nd birthday, while Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco is three months away from turning 41. They will become just the second quarterback duo to face off against each other after the age of 40, with Tom Brady and Drew Brees doing so three times in 2020 when they were division rivals in Brees’ final season.
“It’s great for all of the old guys,” Rodgers said. “I know that when I watch other sports, maybe it’s because I’m the older guy, but I tend to pull for the older guys to win, win championships. I’ve been friends with (Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry) for a long time. Steph is one of the older guys in the NBA now, so any time the Warriors are playing, I’m always pulling for Steph to ball out, for them to win.”
Assuming good health, the NBA will have its own battle of over-40s this season. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul are the only active NBA players over 40. The Lakers and Clippers first play just before Thanksgiving, then again a few days before Christmas. In 2026, they’ll play against each other on Jan. 22 and Feb. 20.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry will turn 40 on March 25, but neither the Lakers nor Clippers are on the 76ers’ regular-season schedule after Lowry’s birthday.
The matchup between Rodgers and Flacco was on the schedule coming into the season, but nearly got scrapped. Flacco was named the opening day starter for the Cleveland Browns, setting up the first of two meetings between Rodgers and Flacco on Oct. 12.
However, Flacco was recently benched by the Browns in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel. Five days before the Steelers were to play the Browns, Flacco was traded to the Bengals and was named the starter immediately. Thursday marks the first game between Rodgers and Flacco this season.
“I’ve known Joe for a long time,” Rodgers said. “He’s been great, coming to my charity event. He’s been a great ambassador for the league. He’s had a great career, and it’s fun that we’re both still playing.”
Rodgers was asked what parts of Flacco’s game he appreciates.
“I’ve just always enjoyed watching him throw the ball,” Rodgers said. “I mean, he’s got one of the prettiest balls, tight spiral, great deep-ball thrower. He is one of the kind of old-school, 2000s, ’90s, prototypical quarterbacks where so many — even when I was coming in the game — it was the big guys who had the big arms.
“Now you’re seeing there’s some smaller guys, there’s obviously some really athletic guys playing the position, and I think he would probably agree with me, sometimes when you watch the other guys play, you feel like they’re playing a different position because of the athleticism and the way the game is called. There’s more read-option called, you’re seeing more of the college game into the NFL, but I’ve always enjoyed watching Joe play and I have a lot of respect for him and his game.”
Rodgers entered the league a few years before Flacco, with the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, but he sat behind Brett Favre for the first few years with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers’ first full season as a starter was 2008, when Flacco was selected in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens and became an instant starter as a rookie.
Assuming Rodgers and Flacco are both still starting for the Steelers and Bengals, respectively, the second matchup between them will come on Nov. 16.
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