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- NFL The final roar of the old-school quarterbacks in the NFL: Rodgers vs. Flacco makes history on TNF
Joe Flacco's move to the Cincinnati Bengals has already created an unusual piece of NFL trivia.
The 40-year-old quarterback, traded from Cleveland and immediately named the starter, will take the field Thursday night against Aaron Rodgers, a matchup that stands out not only for its names but also for its rarity.
It's not often that two quarterbacks on the far side of 40 share the same field. In fact, it's happened only a handful of times in league history.
The last instance came during the 2020 season, when Tom Brady and Drew Brees faced each other three times, including a playoff meeting that doubled as Brees' final NFL appearance. Brady was 43 that season, Brees 41.
Now, nearly five years later, Flacco and Rodgers will bring the phenomenon back. If both stay healthy, they're likely to meet again in four weeks when the Bengals take on the Steelers, giving fans two chances this year to witness something that may not happen again anytime soon.
A rare era for longevity at quarterback
The idea of quarterbacks thriving in their forties has become part of the NFL's modern mythology, thanks largely to Brady's unprecedented career extension.
His ability to perform at an elite level until age 45 changed the conversation about what aging players could accomplish, leading several others to publicly express similar ambitions.
Russell Wilson, for example, has said he'd like to play deep into his forties, though his recent career trajectory shows how difficult that can be.
Turning 37 next month, Wilson appears to be running out of starting opportunities, and his path to playing past 40 might depend on accepting a backup role.
Among current starters, only a few seem to have a realistic chance of reaching that milestone. Matthew Stafford, at 37, remains productive when healthy, while Geno Smith, now 35, has said he hopes to continue playing past the 40 mark.
Other veterans such as Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield, and Patrick Mahomes are still in their early 30s, with many years ahead before longevity even becomes part of the discussion.