Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco had a veteran quarterback clash during the week 7 fixture. The Pittsburgh Steelers went into the game looking to dominate the AFC North with a win. But couldn’t. This has the face of Fox Sports, Charissa Thompson, reflecting on their performance. She couldn’t help but notice how far she has come on her journey.  

“Couldn’t help but smile watching Joe Flacco at age 40 & Aaron Rodgers at age 41 battle back & forth in another great Thursday Night Game. I’m 43 now and have been privileged enough to do this job for 17 years. So we all may be “old,” but every time I get to sit at this desk, it always feels new. And man, do I love having a front row seat to this great game that is, the NFL!” Charissa Thompson said and shared snippets of the Thursday night game from the box.

Charissa Thompson started her career as a prominent figure with Fox in 2007 as a sideline reporter and co-host of the Best Damn Sports Show Period.  She joined ESPN in 20011 as a co-host for SportsNation and Numbers Never Lie. She transitioned back to Fox Sports in 2013 and became the host for the flagship show, Fox Sports Live. Before the start of this season, the 43-year-old signed an extension with Fox as the host for the NFL Kickoff pre-game. 

She ranks as a veteran in broadcast media, a trait she shares with QB Aaron Rodgers, who is less than two months shy of his 42nd birthday. The Bengals’ new QB, Joe Flacco, is three months away from turning 41. Their battle stood historic; a duel of who is the best quarterback in their 40s. The clash marked significance as the only second quarterback duo to face off against each other after 40. Tom Brady and Drew Brees did so three times in 2020. But for Flacco, it was much more.

The QB proved that he still has a lot to contribute to the game, a perfect reply to those who called him washed out. He scored 3 touchdowns and has a QBR of 75.2. He completed 47 carries with 342 yards and a completion rate of 66%. He also had some emotional things to say post the game. 

“I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror when I’m 50 years old and be able to say that I gave it everything that I had,” Joe Flacco told ESPN. But what about the Rodgers?

Rodgers reaches a new milestone

Aaron Rodgers has come a long way in 2025. He stands 5th in the league, entering the charts for 64,222 passing yards overall in his career. 

“It means I’ve played a long time. I grew up on the Niners. Quarterbacks were my favorite, and then Brett, and then I got to play with Brett. I was drafted the year after Phil Rivers, and had a friendship through the game with him for years. So, good to be mentioned with those guys,” he told ESPN. This milestone isn’t just statistical for Rodgers.

Entering the game, he was 115 yards behind. He surpassed Ben Roethlisberger, a former player of the Steelers squad for 18 years. He did this with a 15-yard throw to running back Jaylen Warren with 1:58 remaining in the second quarter. He did not just secure 249 yards, but also posted 4 touchdowns.

“I’m just getting healthier,” the 41-year-old player in his prime told ESPN. Yet the domination fell short by 2 points with the Cincinnati Bengals defeating the Steelers 33-31.  

The Steelers will look forward to recovering from this setback against the Packers next week to retain their dominance in the AFC North.