Aaron Rodgers's Unsuccessful Hail Mary Attempt Was Still a Historic Heave

Next Gen Stats tracked it as the longest heave since at least 2017.

Aaron Rodgers threw one of the longest passes the NFL has ever seen. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bengals notched a much-needed win over the Steelers on Thursday Night Football in order to stay within reasonable striking position in the AFC North. Joe Flacco, playing in his second game for Cincinnati after being acquired via a trade with the Browns, was about to out-duel Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers in a game featuring two quarterbacks in their 40s.

The good news for the Steelers is that they still sit alone atop their division and Rodgers still appears more than capable of leading them to the playoffs and providing a steep challenge for any opponent they should find there. He threw four touchdown passes in the defeat but what he did on the last play of regulation may be the best sign yet, even if it didn't result in anything.

Trailing 33-31 with three seconds remaining and sitting 60 yards from the end zone, Mike Tomlin dialed up a Hail Mary and Rodgers uncorked a bomb.

It would eventually fall incomplete after traveling 69.8 yards in the air, which is the longest pass since at least 2017 per Next Gen Stats.

Aaron Rodgers' Hail Mary pass attempt that resulted in an incompletion traveled 69.8 yards in the air, the longest recorded pass attempt since at least 2017.#PITvsCIN | #HereWeGopic.twitter.com/gRxqoJ03ll

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 17, 2025

So his arm, given time to really wind up, is still as good as ever. And we know this because there is now a way to track how far a ball flies in the air before making contact with something. What a time to be alive.

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