Joe Burrow Set for Rare First With Mike Tomlin, Last With Aaron Rodgers on SNF

The Sunday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers will mark just the third – and likely final – meeting between Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers has said this will be his final season, so barring a meeting the playoffs, Sunday will be Burrow’s last chance to add him to the list of quarterbacks he’s beaten.

Burrow is 0-2 against Rodgers, losing to him and the Packers 25-22 in overtime in 2021, in addition to the 30-27 loss in Pittsburgh earlier this season in Week 3.

Despite it likely being a final meeting, Burrow said he doesn’t think he’ll ask the future Hall of Famer for a jersey swap.

“Probably not,” Burrow said when asked. “Don’t really think about that too much.”

Burrow Went 4-3 Against Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin

Sep 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) scrambles against Pittsburgh Steelers safety Robert Spears-Jennings (28) and defensive end Yahya Black (94) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He has, however, given a lot of thought to how well Rodgers has played throughout his career and especially in 2026.

“He’s one of the greatest that’s ever done it,” Burrow said. “He’s 41 or 42 and still doing it at a high level. I would have trouble calling it quits if I’m still playing like that, at that age.

“I’ve enjoyed watching him for a long time,” he added. “And this year, I think he’s playing so well. He really played great in that last game we played. Dang near perfect. I had to be perfect the whole time, too.”

While Sunday could be Burrow’s final game against Rodgers, he’s already faced Mike Tomlin for the final time, presuming the coach doesn’t return to the profession.

Burrow went 4-3 against Tomlin. Among quarterbacks with at least four starts against the future Hall of Fame coach, Burrow is one of only three to boast a winning record. The others are Josh Allen (4-1) and Tom Brady (7-3).

Tomlin stepped away from the Steelers at the end of last year and moved to NBC, the network that will broadcast Sunday night’s game.

That means Burrow will sit with Tomlin and the rest of the NBC crew for a production meeting ahead of the game.

“I didn’t even think about that,” Burrow said before heaping praise on Tomlin, who will be working his first Steelers game since leaving the coaching profession.

“I've always loved how he sees the game and attacks coaching,” Burrow added. “He's always attacked it with a lot of intensity that I have a lot of respect for. So to be able to get to know him in a setting like that, I think will be a little exciting for me.”

Those production meetings typically involve the television crew asking the players and coaches questions to get as much information as possible to use on the broadcast.

But they can be conversational at times.

Burrow was asked if there were any questions he would like to ask Tomlin after all the battles they have had against each other.

“Certainly,” he said with a grin. “Maybe more of an offseason off-the-record session than a production meeting.”

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