Flacco rallies Bengals past Rodgers and Steelers 33-31 in battle of 40-year-old QBs

CINCINNATI (AP) — Mike Tomlin wondered this week why the Cleveland Browns traded Joe Flacco to their AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals.

On Thursday night, Flacco proved Tomlin's worst fears to be well founded.

Flacco passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns as he rallied Cincinnati to a 33-31 victory. Evan McPherson had four field goals, the last a 36-yarder with seven seconds remaining to put the Bengals on top and snap a four-game losing streak.

The 40-year-old Flacco completed 31 of 47 passes in his second Cincinnati start after being acquired Oct. 7, and outdueled 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers in only the third regular-season game between starting quarterbacks in their 40s.

Bengals fans were chanting “Thank you Cleveland! Thank you Cleveland!” when Flacco appeared on Prime Video's postgame set on the field, which brought a smile to coach Zac Taylor's face.

“Our fans are happy, and I’m happy," Taylor said. “It’s a big victory. We needed this. It had been a long time since we won."

Cincinnati led most of the second half, but Rodgers gave Pittsburgh a 31-30 advantage with 2:31 remaining on a 68-yard touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth.

On second-and-20, Rodgers rolled left and found Freiermuth open downfield. The fifth-year tight end caught the ball at the Bengals 36 after getting separation from safety Geno Stone and scored his second touchdown.

“I told him to be ready. I saw something on the pictures on the sideline in the first half. So at halftime I pulled him aside. I had a nice shot down the middle,” said Rodgers, who went 22 of 32 for 244 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

That set the stage for the 23rd fourth-quarter comeback of Flacco’s 18-year career.

Flacco led the Bengals (3-4) 52 yards in eight plays, including completions of 15 and 18 yards to Ja’Marr Chase got Cincinnati into Pittsburgh territory. Flacco then found Tee Higgins for a 28-yard gain to the Steelers 5 with 1:39 remaining to put the Bengals well within McPherson’s range.

“It’s very fun. It’s because of games like this that we do what we do," Flacco said.

Chase had a franchise-record 16 receptions for 161 yards and a TD, making him the fourth receiver in NFL history with two games of at least 14 catches in a single season. Higgins finished with six catches for 96 yards and a score. Noah Fant also had a TD reception.

The Bengals scored on seven of their last eight possessions and won for the first time since Joe Burrow went down with a toe injury Sept. 14. Jake Browning struggled in his three starts after Burrow's injury, prompting the Bengals to acquire Flacco.

“Last week, it seemed we had finally figured out how it was going to be with Flacco and the offensive line. And today we showed what we’re capable of," Chase said.

Chase Brown had 108 rushing yards on 11 carries, the second 100-yard game of his career.

Freiermuth had four catches for 106 yards for the Steelers (4-2). Jaylen Warren ran for 127 yards on 16 carries.

“I just thought the first half we allowed them to run the ball too much," Tomlin said. “Then we turned the ball over a couple of times, and that just kind of set a negative trajectory. We’re fighting uphill the rest of the way.”

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 10-0 lead on Chris Boswell's 41-yard field goal early in the second quarter before Rodgers' passes was picked off on consecutive drives.

Cincinnati scored a touchdown in the first half for the first time in five games with 4:42 remaining in the first half when Flacco found Chase in the left corner of the end zone for an 8-yard score.

The Bengals then converted both of Rodgers’ interceptions into points. On the first play of the next drive, Jordan Battle picked off a deep ball intended for Metcalf at the Bengals 24. Three plays later, Flacco’s 29-yard quick slant to Higgins gave Cincinnati its first lead since the first quarter of the Week 4 Monday night game at Denver.

After DJ Turner picked off Flacco’s pass along the left sideline at the Cincinnati 30 with 40 seconds remaining, McPherson booted a 49-yarder to make it 17-10 at halftime.

The Steelers scored a touchdown on an opening drive for the third time this season when Jonnu Smith caught a 10-yard pass from Rodgers with 10:51 remaining in the first quarter.

Rodgers held onto the ball for 8.598 seconds before connecting with Smith in the end zone. It was Rodgers’ longest time to throw on a completion since the NFL’s Next Gen Stats started tracking in 2016.

Bengals: DE Trey Hendrickson was inactive due to a hip injury he suffered during the first half of last week at Green Bay.

Steelers: Host Green Bay in a prime-time game Oct. 26.

Bengals: Host the New York Jets on Oct. 26.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco walks off the field following an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cincinnati Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco, right, meet on the field following an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (2) celebrates his field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cincinnati Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) gets a pass off while under pressure by Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Tedarrell Slaton, right, during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith (81) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) celebrate after connecting for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) celebrate a touchdown with tight end Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (86) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cincinnati Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cincinnati Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Coach Steve Kerr spoke with Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga during the morning shootaround Thursday about the player's situation being out of the rotation for more than a month now with expectations he will be traded before the deadline next month.

“We talked this morning and that’s all private,” Kerr said. “I will keep coaching him, he’ll be part of the team, he’ll be here. It is what it is.”

Kerr discounted any issues between them as being reason Kuminga has reportedly requested a trade from the team after not being used in the last 14 games since Dec. 18 and 17 of 18 — though he has been listed as injured for nine games this season.

“Our relationship is fine,” Kerr said before Golden State's 126-113 win over the New York Knicks. “There's not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. It is what it is, difficult situation for everybody and part of this league, part of the job. We just keep moving forward.”

Kuminga has been training much of the time on his own, shooting on the Warriors’ practice floor out of the eyes of fans at Chase Center. He wears a black hood over his head on the end of the bench during games. Perhaps Kuminga and the Warriors weren't a great fit from Day 1 — not that it's his fault — and he might be eager to leave and start fresh elsewhere. If so, the Golden State brass might want to make sure he doesn't get hurt before trying to trade him.

Yet nobody has taken issue with his work ethic, at least not publicly. Kuminga, selected seventh overall in the 2021 draft, has been known to stay long after games shooting on the arena's main floor.

“It’s not a distraction at all. It’s a very unique situation but our job is just to keep playing, keep winning, it’ll resolve itself one way or the other,” Stephen Curry said.

The 23-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has appeared in just 18 games total with 13 starts, averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

On Sept. 30, he agreed to a two-year contract that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team were to exercise its option for 2026-27. Kuminga had had a $7.9 million qualifying offer in hand since June 29 but was also weighing other options and he missed media day.

He has long had the support and confidence of teammates — like Jimmy Butler saying he has been having Kuminga over and continuing to encourage him.

“We love JK in this locker room, that's not going to change,” Butler said postgame. “If he happens to not be in here, we'll still rock with JK. I speak for everybody. We love the guy. I wish him the best here, I wish him the best wherever. It doesn't change. We don't listen to the noise, I hope he don't listen to the noise he keep coming here with a smile doing what he's supposed to do and being the ultimate pro.”

Kuminga missed much of last season with a right ankle injury. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes over 47 games with 10 starts. He also scored 15.3 points per game over eight playoff games while shooting 48.4% from the floor and making 40% of his 3-point attempts. That included a career-best 30-point performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kerr said the uncertainty around Kuminga's future “won't be a distraction.”

“Jonathan's a great young guy, his teammates like him,” Kerr said. "He's handling himself well.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, middle, sits near the team bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) and Utah Jazz center Oscar Tshiebwe (34) swap jerseys after the Warriors defeat the Jazz during an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)