Steelers' Rodgers, Bengals' Flacco rare matchup of QBs in 40s - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — As Aaron Rodgers stepped to the mic stand in front of the Steelers-logoed backdrop Tuesday, teammate Cameron Heyward stood nearby and playfully heckled the 41-year-old quarterback.

«Oldest quarterbacks playing this week, let's go,» Heyward said, clapping his hands. «Icy Hot Bowl. I love it!»

Rodgers just smirked and shook his head.

Thursday night's matchup between the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals featuring Rodgers and the 40-year-old Joe Flacco will mark just the second time in NFL history that opposing quarterbacks age 40 or older will start a regular or postseason game against each other, according to ESPN Research.

«I think it's great for all 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 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 pair of 40-or-older quarterbacks to start opposite each other, doing so in three games during the 2020 season.

Rodgers, though, 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, that's not the only factor to seeing more of these meetings.

"… There is one key component — and that's consistency," he said. «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.»

Rodgers was taken with the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. Flacco went 18th in the 2008