Bengals Coach Zac Taylor Announces Starting Quarterback for Week 6 vs. Packers

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Bengals head coach Zac Taylor announced that newly acquired Joe Flacco will start for Cincinnati on Sunday against the Packers.
Flacco will take all the reps with the first-team offense.
Zac Taylor says Joe Flacco will start this week. He will take all the reps.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) October 8, 2025
“His style fits our style.” pic.twitter.com/TjtHZhF7FS
Flacco was traded by the Browns to the Bengals on Tuesday, along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round selection. The move gives Flacco a fresh start after being benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel in Cleveland, while allowing Cincinnati to move in a different direction at quarterback after Jake Browning's tenuous play as a replacement for Joe Burrow.
The Bengals and Packers are set to kick at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
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Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.
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