The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for a divisional showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football, and all eyes are already on the quarterbacks. A decade ago, a head-to-head matchup of Aaron Rodgers vs. Joe Flacco would have held an entirely different meaning. Now it's being pointed out for what it is: a battle of the old guys.
Cam Heyward made sure to make light of the glaringly obvious. As Rodgers took the stage for his pre-game Week 6 presser, Heyward yelled from the background regarding the quarterbacks playing this week, via video from ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
"Icy Hot Bowl," Heyward shouted. "I love it!"
Heyward's 'Icy Hot Bowl' comment was a direct reference to the age of QBs set to face off on Thursday Night Football, and Pryor even followed up with a question about the novelty of two 40-year-old quarterbacks facing each other this week.
Heyward's hilarious nickname for this QB showdown quickly went viral. But this isn't a matchup you see often. In fact, only two other 40-plus-year-old starting quarterbacks have ever squared off in an NFL game. When he was with the Buccaneers, Tom Brady (43) did this three times (including a playoff game) against a 41-year-old Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints in 2020.
Aaron Rodgers-Joe Flacco matchup becomes one for the 'ages' for the Pittsburgh Steelers
At 41 and 40, respectively, Rodgers and Flacco aren't quite as old as Brady and Brees were in their late-career head-to-head matchups in the NFC South. However, this is still an impressive feat. And quite frankly, it's one we didn't see coming before last week.
Up until October 6, Flacco was a member of the Cleveland Browns. However, we already knew that the veteran had been benched for third-round rookie QB Dillon Gabriel. It looked like the Steelers were going to avoid Flacco during the 2025 season... that is, until he was traded within the division to the Cincinnati Bengals.
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This was a move that had Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin visibly frustrated with Browns' GM Andrew Berry. Flacco, upset Pittsburgh just last year when he was the backup quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts. After starter Anthony Richardson went down with an injury early in the first quarter, Flacco came off the bench and helped lead the Colts to 27 total points in a win over the Steelers.
It's only been one game, but Flacco has already shown more signs of life for the Bengals than Jake Browning did in Joe Burrow's injury absence. Now, Aaron Rodgers will see if he can help the Pittsburgh Steelers snap their ugly winless road record (0-6) against AFC North opponents on Thursday Night Football under Tomlin.
There were any number of jabs Cam Heyward could have taken at this QB matchup with a combined age of 81 years old, but the 'Icy Hot Bowl' was perfect.