Pittsburgh Steelers vs Bengals Match Player Stats: Game Breakdowns & Everything You Need to Know
Quick Table
| Detail | Game 1 (Dec 1, 2024) | Game 2 (Oct 16, 2025) | Game 3 (Nov 16, 2025) |
| Winner | Steelers | Bengals | Steelers |
| Score | PIT 44 – CIN 38 | CIN 33 – PIT 31 | PIT 34 – CIN 12 |
| PIT QB | Russell Wilson (414 yds, 3 TD) | Aaron Rodgers (249 yds, 4 TD) | Rodgers/Rudolph |
| CIN QB | Joe Burrow (309 yds, 3 TD) | Joe Flacco (342 yds, 3 TD) | Joe Flacco (199 yds, 1 TD) |
| Top PIT Rusher | Najee Harris (75 yds, 1 TD) | Jaylen Warren (127 yds) | Jaylen Warren (62 yds) |
| Top CIN Rusher | Chase Brown (70 yds) | Chase Brown (108 yds) | Chase Brown (99 yds) |
| Top CIN Receiver | Ja’Marr Chase (86 yds, 1 TD) | Ja’Marr Chase (161 yds, 1 TD) | Tee Higgins (63 yds, 1 TD) |
| Top PIT Receiver | George Pickens (74 yds, 1 TD) | Pat Freiermuth (111 yds, 2 TD) | Kenny Gainwell (81 yds, 2 TD) |
| Venue | Paycor Stadium (CIN) | Paycor Stadium (CIN) | Acrisure Stadium (PIT) |
| All-Time Series | Steelers lead 72–41 |
Two Teams, One Wild Rivalry
Some games you watch for the final score. This rivalry? You watch because you genuinely have no idea what’s about to happen.
The Steelers and Bengals have met 113 times in total. Pittsburgh owns the overall edge at 72 wins against Cincinnati’s 41. But that does not tell you how crazy these matchups have been lately.
In the 2024-25 NFL stretch, these two teams played three separate times. Two went to Pittsburgh. One went to Cincinnati. All three could have gone either way. Every single game came down to the final moments.
That’s this rivalry in a nutshell.
See also “New York Jets VS Bengals Match Player Stats: The Comeback Nobody Saw Coming“
Game 1: December 1, 2024 — Russell Wilson Has the Game of His Life
This was supposed to be a close divisional battle. It turned into a showcase.
Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson was dealing with a quarterback competition back home. Justin Fields had fans split. But on that Sunday in Cincinnati, Wilson answered every question with his arm.
He finished with 414 passing yards — the most of his entire 2024 season. He completed 29 of 38 attempts and threw three touchdowns. His completion rate was 76.3%. That is elite-level accuracy for any quarterback, let alone one trying to prove himself.
Wilson immediately entered the annals of this series with his performance, according to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.. That quote said a lot. Tomlin doesn’t hand out praise like candy.
What Wilson Did That Day — Broken Down
Wilson started badly. His very first interception was returned for a Bengals touchdown. Cincinnati jumped ahead early. That could have rattled a lesser player.
Wilson didn’t blink.
By halftime, he had already thrown for 257 yards. That was the best first half of his career to that point. The Steelers were up 27-21 at the break, and Wilson was nowhere near done.
His three touchdown passes went to George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, and Pat Freiermuth. It was the kind of performance that wins games in hostile stadiums.
Najee Harris and the Ground Game
Najee Harris didn’t carry the load by himself, but he was steady. He ran 16 times for 75 yards and punched in a 10-yard touchdown. He also caught the ball out of the backfield for 54 yards.
The running back trio of Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Cordarrelle Patterson combined for 13 catches and 146 receiving yards. That’s rare productivity from the backfield in one game.
The Steelers racked up 110 rushing yards as a team and 520 total yards. They controlled the ball for 31 minutes. Those numbers win football games.
Joe Burrow Fought Back Hard
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow did not give up. He threw for 309 yards on 28-of-38 passing with three touchdowns of his own.
Ja’Marr Chase caught six balls for 86 yards and a score. Chase Brown rushed 12 times for 70 yards and a touchdown too.
The Bengals put up 38 points. In any other game, that probably wins. The problem was Wilson was doing something special on the other sideline.
The final score was Pittsburgh 44, Cincinnati 38. It was the highest combined point total of the entire 2024 NFL season at that point.
Game 2: October 16, 2025 — Two 40-Year-Old QBs, One Wild Thursday Night
This one needs a little setup.
Pittsburgh started 2025 hot with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Rodgers — yes, the legendary Green Bay and New York Jets quarterback — was now wearing black and gold at 41 years old.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, had lost Joe Burrow to a toe injury in Week 2. Backup quarterbacks couldn’t keep the Bengals competitive. They fell to 2-4. Then the front office made a call to Cleveland.
They picked up Joe Flacco.
Flacco was 40 years old. He’d won a Super Bowl.He had been everywhere..Bengals fans were skeptical. He’d only had one start for Cincinnati before this game.
What followed was one of those Thursday Night Football games people talk about for years.
Rodgers vs. Flacco — The Stats Tell the Story
Aaron Rodgers threw for 249 yards, completed 23 of 34 passes, and tossed four touchdowns. Four. On Thursday night football, in a road rivalry game. He also had the team’s offense humming early.
Rodgers connected with tight end Jonnu Smith on the opening drive for a 10-yard touchdown. The key setup play was a 39-yard bomb to DK Metcalf on a third-and-11. Next Gen Stats reported Rodgers held onto the ball for 8.6 seconds before connecting with Smith in the end zone. That’s almost unheard of at the NFL level.
Flacco answered. He went 31-of-47 for 342 yards and three touchdowns. The 40-year-old veteran picked apart Pittsburgh’s secondary when it mattered most.
Ja’Marr Chase Did Something Historic
When you talk about this game, you have to talk about Ja’Marr Chase.
He caught 16 passes. Sixteen. For 161 yards and a touchdown. That reception total was a Cincinnati Bengals single-game franchise record. He was everywhere Flacco looked.
Chase and Flacco had just one week together before this game. They played like they’d been teammates for years.
Jaylen Warren Was Unstoppable on the Ground
Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Warren had a monster night on the ground. He carried the ball 16 times for 127 yards. That’s nearly 8 yards every time he touched the ball. He kept the Steelers’ offense balanced.
Pat Freiermuth was the other star for Pittsburgh. He caught four passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yard touchdown catch that gave Pittsburgh a 31-30 lead with 2:31 remaining.
Yes, Pittsburgh was winning with two and a half minutes left.
The Last Seven Seconds
If you are a Steelers fan, this is where it hurts.
Flacco marched Cincinnati down the field after Pittsburgh took that late lead. With just seven seconds on the clock, Evan McPherson booted a 36-yard field goal.
Bengals 33, Steelers 31.
Rodgers then heaved a last-second Hail Mary into the end zone. Bengals defenders batted it away. Game over. The Cincinnati crowd erupted. Fans were chanting “Thank you, Cleveland!” in honor of the team that traded them to Flacco.
Pittsburgh fell to 4-2 despite the loss. The city had feelings.
Game 3: November 16, 2025 — Rodgers Goes Down, Pittsburgh Still Wins
The rematch happened a month later in Pittsburgh. It did not go well for Cincinnati.
Aaron Rodgers started for the Steelers but left the game with a left wrist injury in the first half. Mason Rudolph stepped in. The Bengals thought this was their window.
It wasn’t.
The Defensive Heroics That Flipped Everything
Flacco was driving late in the third quarter with Cincinnati down 13-9. He tried to hit Tee Higgins over the middle. Pittsburgh safety Kyle Dugger read it perfectly, picked the ball off, and ran 73 yards for a pick-six.
That was the turning point.
The Bengals’ momentum evaporated. The Steelers went on to add a fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Final score: Pittsburgh 34, Cincinnati 12.
Rodgers’ Stats Before Leaving
Before the wrist injury, Rodgers had gone 9-of-15 for 116 yards and one touchdown — an 11-yard strike to running back Kenneth Gainwell.
Mason Rudolph replaced him and handled it cleanly. Rudolph finished 12-of-16 for 127 yards and converted multiple third downs in the fourth quarter to drain the clock. Pittsburgh kept moving the chains while Cincinnati ran out of answers.
Tee Higgins Kept Showing Up
Even in a loss, Tee Higgins was a bright spot for Cincinnati. He caught three balls for 63 yards and a touchdown — his fourth straight game with a score. That touchdown streak tied the longest in his career.
Higgins had seven receiving touchdowns on the season by this point, tied for third in the NFL.
Chase Brown Was a Workhorse Again
Chase Brown ran for 99 yards 18 times.. He also added six catches for 28 yards. It was his fourth consecutive game hitting 100 scrimmage yards. The guy just doesn’t take plays off.
The Bengals defense had edge rusher Myles Murphy putting up a career-high seven tackles. Linebacker Oren Burks added nine tackles. Cincinnati competed defensively. Offensively, two turnovers proved too costly.
The Greater Picture: The Significance of This Rivalry?
Pittsburgh holds a 72-41 all-time lead over Cincinnati. That gap is real and has been built over 50-plus years of AFC play.
The rivalry began back on November 2, 1970 — a Steelers win, 21-10. The Steelers have been ahead in this series for most of its existence.
Pittsburgh’s famous “Steel Curtain” defense of the 1970s was a big reason why. The Steelers won four Super Bowls in that era and held the Bengals to 17 points or fewer in ten of their twelve meetings from the mid to late ’70s.
But recent years have been more balanced. Cincinnati won seven of their last ten matchups heading into the 2025 season before Pittsburgh started taking things back.
The Bengals’ best all-time winning streak against the Steelers stands at six games.Pittsburgh’s longest run, from 2015 to 2020, was eleven consecutive.
The Players Who Make These Games Must-Watch
T.J. Watt from Pittsburgh is one of the best defenders in football. He applies pressure every week, and the Bengals have to game-plan around him every single meeting.
Ja’Marr Chase from Cincinnati is arguably the most dangerous receiver in the NFL right now. That 16-catch, 161-yard game in October 2025 was one of the best individual performances you’ll see in a divisional game.
Aaron Rodgers, for all the debate around his age and his fit in Pittsburgh, has shown genuine veteran smarts in this rivalry. Four touchdowns in a Thursday night divisional game at 41 years old is simply impressive.
Pat Freiermuth has quietly become one of the most reliable tight ends Pittsburgh has. He shows up in big games. That 68-yard touchdown catch in October was a play that should have sealed a win.
Chase Brown continues to grow as one of the most underrated backs in the AFC. He has topped 100 scrimmage yards in multiple consecutive games and brings toughness and burst every week.
Final Thoughts
When Pittsburgh meets Cincinnati, plans go out the window.
Three games across the 2024-25 stretch produced scores of 44-38, 33-31, and 34-12. Two went to the wire. One was a defensive beatdown. All three had moments that will live in the memory of fans on both sides.
Pittsburgh’s historical lead in this series is comfortable on paper. But step inside Paycor Stadium or Acrisure Stadium on game day, and nothing feels comfortable. These teams genuinely dislike each other in the best possible way.
That’s what a real rivalry looks like.
FAQs
1. Who won the most recent Steelers vs. Bengals game?
Pittsburgh won the most recent matchup, 34-12, on November 16, 2025 at Acrisure Stadium.
2. Who leads the all-time Steelers vs. Bengals series?
Pittsburgh leads the overall series 72-41 in regular season games, and 2-0 in playoff games.
3. Who were the starting quarterbacks in the October 2025 game?
Aaron Rodgers started for Pittsburgh, and Joe Flacco started for Cincinnati after being traded from the Cleveland Browns.
4. How many catches did Ja’Marr Chase have in the October 2025 game?
Chase caught 16 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown — a single-game franchise record for the Bengals.
5. Why was Joe Flacco playing for Cincinnati in 2025?
Joe Burrow suffered a toe injury in Week 2 of 2025. After backup Jake Browning couldn’t stabilize the team, Cincinnati acquired Flacco from Cleveland for minor draft picks.
6. What happened to Aaron Rodgers in the November 2025 game?
Rodgers left the game in the first half with a left wrist injury. Reports later indicated he avoided surgery and could return sooner than expected.
7. Who replaced Rodgers in the November 2025 game?
Mason Rudolph stepped in and played the rest of the game. He finished 12-of-16 for 127 yards and helped Pittsburgh hold on for the win.
8. Who was Russell Wilson’s best receiver in the December 2024 game?
George Pickens led the receiving corps that day with 74 yards and a touchdown, while the running backs as a group contributed 13 catches and 146 yards.
9. How did the Bengals lose the November 2025 game?
Two costly turnovers — an interception returned 73 yards for a touchdown by Kyle Dugger, and a fumble returned for a touchdown — swung the game in Pittsburgh’s favor.
10. What has Chase Brown’s recent form been like?
Chase Brown has been outstanding. He strung together four consecutive games with 100 or more scrimmage yards heading into Week 11 of 2025.
11. Who kicked the game-winning field goal for Cincinnati in October 2025?
Evan McPherson connected on a 36-yarder with seven seconds left to give the Bengals a 33-31 win.
12. When did this rivalry first begin?
The first Steelers-Bengals game was played on November 2, 1970. Pittsburgh won 21-10.
13. What was the combined points record set in December 2024?
The Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Bengals in December 2024 produced 82 combined points — the most in any NFL game that week, and the highest-scoring first half in this rivalry’s history.
14. Has Pittsburgh ever swept the Bengals in a season recently?
Yes. Pittsburgh swept both games against Cincinnati in the 2023 season. The 2025 season ended 1-1 between the two teams.
15. Who has the longest winning streak in this rivalry?
Pittsburgh holds the all-time record with an 11-game winning streak against Cincinnati, running from December 2015 through November 2020.
Explore more, learn more, and think deeper with Theory Magazine.
