PITTSBURGH — As Aaron Rodgers walked to the microphone stand in front of the Steelers logo-emblazoned backdrop Tuesday, teammate Cameron Heyward stood nearby and playfully heckled the 41-year-old quarterback.
“The older quarterbacks playing this week, here we go,” Heyward said, clapping his hands. “Bol Icy Hot. I love it!”
Rodgers just smiled and shook his head.
In Thursday night’s Steelers-Bengals game, Rodgers and Joe Flacco will become only the second pair of opposing quarterbacks 40 or older in NFL history to start a regular or playoff game against each other, according to ESPN Research.
“I think it’s great for all the old guys,” Rodgers said. “I know when I watch other sports it might be because I’m the older guy, but I tend to root for the older guys to win championships.
“I’ve known Joe for a long time. 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.”
Tom Brady and Drew Brees are the only previous pair of quarterbacks 40 or older to face each other, which was the case in three games during the 2020 season.
Rodgers, however, said matchups featuring two older QBs could happen more in the future as NFL players invest more in taking care of their bodies. But, he added, this is not the only factor that justifies the multiplication of these meetings.
“…There’s one key thing, and that’s consistency,” he said. “To continue playing at an older age you have to have a certain level of consistency to give yourself opportunities, and obviously Joe did that, and I did that.”
Rodgers was selected 24th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Flacco was taken 18th in the 2008 draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
Rodgers, however, didn’t become a full-time starter until 2008 — the same year Flacco started all 16 games as a rookie and went 11-5 in a season that ended with a loss to the Steelers in the AFC championship game.
“It’s one thing you can’t talk about this week as far as my age, at least, but it’s pretty cool,” Flacco said of the match. “I mean, Aaron has been in the league a few years longer than me, but we both started playing in 2008. So, it’s been a long time. It’s pretty cool.”
Against coach Mike Tomlin, Flacco is 10-11 as a starter with a 59.3 QBR, 25 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions, according to ESPN Research. Tomlin went out of his way Monday to question the Cleveland Browns’ decision last week to pursue an in-season trade for Flacco with the division rival Bengals.
Flacco said Tuesday that he had not seen Tomlin’s comments.
“I couldn’t see how upset he was,” Flacco said, “but I think he’s probably just playing a little bit and doing what he has to do.”
Thursday’s game is something of a return to an old-fashioned matchup between two gun-toting quarterbacks, a Flacco trait Rodgers said he enjoys.
“I always loved watching him throw the ball,” Rodgers said. “I mean, he’s got one of the nicest running balls, prettiest, tight spiral, great deep ball thrower. He’s one of the kind of prototypical quarterbacks from the old school, 2000s and ’90s, where so many – even when I was coming into the game – it was the big guys who had the big arms, and now you see there are smaller guys.”
Earlier Tuesday, Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin highlighted Flacco’s staying power in the league and referenced the 2024 game when he took over for Anthony Richardson Sr. and threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers’ loss to the Colts.
“He’s mentally strong,” said Austin, who coached in Baltimore during Flacco’s tenure. “He doesn’t let things bother him, and he’s a good football player and he’s never expressed that belief. And so I have a great appreciation for guys like him, guys who maybe bounce around a little bit, and then all of a sudden you see it and they show up and they’re really good players, and sometimes you just need a change of scenery to do what you’re doing and do it better. … Hats off to Joe.”
ESPN’s Ben Baby contributed to this report.
