Joe Burrow makes feelings known on facing Aaron Rodgers in Week 7 and Week 11

The NFL calendar is packed with headline matchups, but this year carries the excitement of Joe Burrow versus Aaron Rodgers. The Bengals star will face Rodgers twice in the 2025 season, and he is eyeing Weeks 7 and 11 on his calendar.

Rodgers joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal after a turbulent New York zjets stint. He signed a $13.65 million deal on Friday.

Burrow spoke about getting multiple opportunities to compete against the future Hall of Famer next season.

“That’ll be a fun, fun two games,” Joe Burrow said on Tueday, via Bengals.com. “Obviously, I got a lot of respect for Aaron and like him as a person. I only played him one time, so it will be nice to play him twice.”

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Their last encounter was in 2021, when Rodgers, still with Green Bay, escaped Cincinnati with a 25-22 overtime win. Burrow acknowledged how scheduling prevented more meetings throughout their careers.

Aaron Rodgers keeps playing because of "love for the game"

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Aaron Rodgers was sidelined in all but one game in 2023, while Joe Burrow also dealt with nagging injuries. When Burrow fought through a painful calf strain, Rodgers, who was rehabbing a torn Achilles, reached out.

“That’s what great competitors do,” Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show" in 2023. “They play through the pain and don’t make it a big deal.”

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh split their 2024 series. However, Burrow made a statement in their second meeting: 80.4% completion, a clinic against one of the NFL’s toughest defenses. That accuracy mark still stands as a record against the Steelers for any quarterback with 40+ attempts.

Rodgers enters 2025 not just as the Steelers’ new hope, but as the oldest active player in the league. His arrival offers stability for a franchise that’s seen post-Roethlisberger chaos, from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson to rotating backups. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t endured a losing season in 18 years.

However, Rodgers doesn’t see this as a Super Bowl-or-bust season.

“This was a decision made from the soul,” Rodgers said during Tuesday's team introduction. “I don’t need to keep playing for my ego. This is about love for the game.”

Rodgers threw for nearly 3,900 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, and sits just five scores behind Brett Favre for fourth on the all-time touchdowns list (503).

The first act of this two-part drama between the Steelers and Bengals unfolds on Oct.16, under the Thursday Night Football lights at Paycor Stadium. Amazon Prime will air the Week 7 primetime clash.