The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty riding on Sunday night's trip to face the Cincinnati Bengals. First place in the AFC North is on the line, and so is a season sweep. For Aaron Rodgers, there is also a piece of NFL history within reach. A win at Paycor Stadium would move the 42-year-old quarterback into a tie for fourth place on the league's all-time wins list, alongside a future Hall of Famer.
Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws a pass during the first quarter in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
Rodgers' teams have won 180 of his starts, counting the playoffs, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. His next win will be No. 181, which is the number Drew Brees retired with.
Only three quarterbacks in NFL history have more. Tom Brady is far out in front with 286 wins, followed by Peyton Manning with 200 and Brett Favre with 199. Smith pointed out that the climb will likely stop at fourth for Rodgers.
"Rodgers has said this will be his last NFL season, so he won't catch Favre for third place," Smith wrote.
The math backs that up. Pittsburgh has nine regular-season games left, so even a perfect finish and a Super Bowl run would leave Rodgers short of his former Green Bay teammate.
The breakdown of those 180 wins tells the story of his career. Rodgers won 158 games as the starter for the Green Bay Packers and six with the New York Jets. He has now won 16 with the Steelers, including six this season. Many of those Green Bay wins came with Head Coach Mike McCarthy calling the plays, and the two are now chasing the milestone together in Pittsburgh.
Steelers Have More History On The Line On Sunday Night
The wins list is not the only milestone tied to this game. NBC Sports noted in its preview of the broadcast that Rodgers is about to add to another long-running record.
"Sunday marks Rodgers' 44th game on Sunday Night Football, the most among active players," the network said.
That total ranks third all-time. Only former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (45) and long snapper L.P. Ladouceur (49) have played in more Sunday Night Football games.
Barry Reeger / Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Steelers' TJ Watt and Jaquan Brisker react at Acrisure Stadium in 2026.
Rodgers also has a strong track record against the quarterback on the other sideline. He is 2-0 in his career against Joe Burrow, including the 30-27 win in Week 3. Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns in that game, which ended on a game-winning Chris Boswell field goal.
The defense has a milestone of its own. TJ Watt had two sacks in the 27-6 win over the Cleveland Browns before the bye, and NBC Sports said his 28 career multi-sack games tie Hall of Famer Richard Dent for the fifth-most by a player in his first 10 seasons since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. One more big night would give Watt sole possession of that spot. SteelerNation looked at the difficult rematch Watt faces in Cincinnati earlier this week.
The stakes around those numbers are what make them matter. Both teams are 6-2, and NBC Sports said their combined .750 winning percentage is the best for a Steelers-Bengals game this late in a season since 2009. Burrow leads the NFL with 23 touchdown passes, and the Bengals have won four in a row, just like Pittsburgh.
There is also the bigger picture for Rodgers. He has said this is his final season, so every milestone from here is one of his last. SteelerNation covered how a team insider believes Rodgers has played a role in the offense's red zone struggles, and the passing game has been inconsistent. A win over Burrow on national television would quiet a lot of that talk.
The rivalry adds its own weight. This will be the 115th meeting between the teams, including the postseason, and the Steelers lead the series 73-41, according to NBC Sports. Former Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who won 14 times at Paycor Stadium, will be in the building as part of the network's pregame show.
If the Steelers finish the sweep, Rodgers will leave Cincinnati tied with Brees and in control of the AFC North. For a quarterback in his 22nd season, that would be a fitting way to start the second half.
This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.
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