Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco hopes to be a starter somewhere in 2026, according to ESPN Bengals reporter Ben Baby. Next season will be Flacco's 19th year in the NFL. He will turn 41 years old in January.
“Hopefully, [my stint with the Bengals] reinforces in somebody’s mind that I can do it,” Flacco said. “I would like an opportunity, but you just never know.”
"I still feel like I can do it."
At the beginning of the season, Flacco was the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. He struggled compared to his first stint with the team in 2023, during which he won NFL Comeback Player of the Year on the back of a late-season push that led the Browns to reach the playoffs.
In his first four games of the season, Flacco threw two touchdowns and six interceptions as the Browns got off to a 1–3 start. His poor performance led to him being benched in favor of Browns third-round rookie quarterback, Dillon Gabriel.
He soon found a new opportunity after Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a toe injury that required surgery. The Browns traded Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick to one of their division rivals for a 2026 fifth-round pick.
Flacco started just days after getting traded to the Bengals. In his five games with the Bengals, he has attempted to stabilize the quarterback position after Jake Browning struggled.
He has thrown for 1,453 yards, 12 touchdowns and 3 interceptions with Cincinnati this season. Despite Flacco's low turnover rate, the team has continued to struggle, especially on defense, yielding a 1-4 record with Flacco as a starter. The Bengals have allowed a league-high 334 points to opponents through 10 games this season, tied for allowing a league-high 6.3 yards per play.
Flacco is coming off arguably his worst game as a Bengal against the Steelers in Week 11. He completed 23 of 40 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown and a pick 6. The Bengals are now 3-7 this season, sitting in third place in the AFC North.
In Week 12, the Bengals will take on the New England Patriots, who are on an eight-game winning streak; it remains to be seen whether Flacco will start, as Joe Burrow continues to make progress in his return from injury. Burrow, who currently remains on the injured reserve list, had his practice window opened ahead of Week 11 and was officially listed as a full participant in Wednesday's practice.
Flacco was also limited in Wednesday’s practice with an AC joint shoulder injury that he suffered in Week 8 against the New York Jets.
When asked about his eventual return to the bench once Burrow is healthy, Flacco shared, "I think that was the last thing that was on my mind. I was like, ‘All right, I’m playing this week, let’s go.’ And then just going from there."
Whoever starts at quarterback will face an uphill battle, as star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been ruled out due to a suspension for spitting on Jalen Ramsey in last week’s game against Pittsburgh. Chase leads the NFL with 79 receptions this season despite playing with three different quarterbacks.