Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers moved up the leaderboard during the team’s Week 7 primetime matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, and in doing so passed a franchise legend.
Coming into tonight’s game, Rodgers needed just 116 passing yards to gain sole possession of the fifth-highest total in that category across NFL history.
Former Steelers signal caller Ben Roethlisberger had held that position with 64,088 yards since retiring following the 2021 season, and it’s quite ironic that a quarterback from his generation was the one to move him out of that spot while playing for the same team.
Rodgers entered the season at No. 7, though he jumped former Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers at No. 6, who concluded his career with 63,440 yards, during Pittsburgh’s Week 3 road win over the New England Patriots.
Oct 16, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws a pass during warmups before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Rodgers orchestrated Pittsburgh’s third opening-drive touchdown of the season after the team had none during the 2024 campaign, hitting DK Metcalf for a 39-yard gain on a 3rd-and-11 early in the series before finding Jonnu Smith for a 10-yard touchdown, which was the tight end’s first of the year.
The four-time MVP officially passed Roethlisberger on a 15-yard completion to running back Jaylen Warren just ahead of the two-minute warning.
Now that Rodgers has passed Roethlisberger, he’s unlikely to advance any further on the passing yards leaderboard.
He’d have to make up a difference of just under 8,000 yards in order to catch Brett Favre, his former Green Bay Packers teammate, who is at No. 5 with 71,838 yards.
Rodgers would have to play through the 2027 campaign in order to even have a chance to best Favre, and considering he’s already alluded to the current season likely being his last in the NFL, there’s just about no chance he’ll improve his standing.
The 41-year-old gained sole possession of the fourth-most passing touchdowns in league history at 509 in the Steelers‘ victory over the Patriots, sliding past Favre in the process. With Peyton Manning at No. 3 with 539, though, Rodgers has just about no chance to catch him this season.
Rodgers came into Week 7 needing just 88 completions to pass Matt Ryan for the fifth-most in NFL history, however, so he’s well on his way to making another splash on the leaderboards.