It’s said that age is only a number. But that number is pretty high in regards to the starting quarterbacks for “Thursday Night Football” in Cincinnati.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers is 41, and his counterpart with the Bengals — Joe Flacco — is 40.
“It’s like a retirement home for (fans and observers),” Steelers receiver DK Metcalf quipped. “But my quarterback doesn’t play (as if he’s) 40. Hopefully, theirs does.”
Rodgers has helped the Steelers to a 4-1 record and first place in the AFC North, a division in which Flacco has played most of his career. Though most known for winning a Super Bowl over 11 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Flacco’s second tenure with the Cleveland Browns ended last week when they traded him to the division rival Bengals.
The only other pair of quadragenarian quarterbacks to have faced each other is Drew Brees and Tom Brady, whose teams met three times (including the playoffs) during the 2020 season when Brady was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Brees in his final NFL season with the New Orleans Saints.
Brees (then 42) and Brady (at the time, 43) set the record during a January 2021 playoff game for oldest combined QB matchup (85). Rodgers and Flacco are an aggregate 81 years of age — that will increase to 83 by playoff time this season.
“I think it’s great for all the old guys,” Rodgers said after Tuesday’s practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “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 and win championships.
“I’ve been friends with (NBA star 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.”
41-yr-old Aaron Rodgers of the Steelers faces the Bengals and 40-yr-old QB Joe Flacco
Aaron on why we might see more quadragenarians playing in the NFL: pic.twitter.com/R712M7mCCT
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 14, 2025
Rodgers, who’s in his 21st NFL season, said he’s known Flacco for a long time. Flacco was a first-round pick of the Ravens in 2008. The latter annually attends Rodgers’ charity event.
The two have faced each other as starters only three times, with Rodgers winning all three — in games during the 2009, 2013 and 2019 seasons.
“He’s had a great career,” Rodgers said of Flacco. “And it’s fun that we’re both still playing.”
They’re both still playing, Rodgers said, in part because each has embraced modern training and nutrition techniques — and also because each has maintained a level of play that allows coaches and organizations to trust them.
“Obviously, there’s a lot more conversation and money spent by guys on their bodies in the offseason,” Rodgers said. “Over the years, as I’ve seen, the training during my offseasons is definitely different. But there is one key component, and that’s consistency. In order to keep playing at an advanced age, you have to have some level of consistency to give you the opportunities. And obviously, Joe’s done it, and I’ve done it.”
