Joe Flacco Details Reasons For Bengals Return After Finalizing Contract

Joe Flacco was all smiles in his return press conference with the Bengals on Wednesday morning. The team officially signed him to a one-year deal worth up to $9 million with incentives this week to cement their 2026 quarterback room.

Flacco was a massively important piece after Joe Burrow went down with a major turf toe injury in Week 2. Jake Browning floundered over the next two games, and Cincinnati made a quick move to trade with Cleveland for Flacco and give him another chance to keep starting in the NFL.

Now, he's ready to keep positively impacting the locker room as a very trusted veteran.

"When you feel wanted, it definitely gives you a good feeling and makes it a little bit easier to make that decision," Flacco said at his press conference. "I really enjoyed being around this staff. So, you know, just in talking with those guys definitely made it feel good for me. Sometimes veterans will kind of wait it out, avoid the grind of camp and all that."

Beloved Veteran

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) passes the ball against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won the game, 27-18. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The culture among other things continues to draw Flacco into the Bengals mix.

"I think it was just a close knit group of guys. Anytime you're in a locker room like that, then it can hit you in a certain way," Flacco said about last season. "And that's kind of how this past year was for me. I was probably in the headspace to be able to kind of accept that a little bit just because of how crazy last year kind of was for me. So just start to open yourself up to certain things. And I think it just happened to be great timing and a great group of guys to kind of resonate with me and make me feel good about the situation."

The 19-year NFL veteran has also played for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Indianapolis Colts. He gutted through an injury himself to post a 400-plus yard passing performance in the loss to Chicago last year. The 470 yards marked Flacco's career-high passing yardage performance.

Cincinnati is hoping to keep Burrow healthy this coming season after Flacco threw for 1,664 yards, 13 TDs, and four INTs in his nine appearances.

"I just enjoyed being here and felt like it was a good fit. Feel like I can help this team in any role possible. And just, you know, see what happens," Flacco declared.

Cincinnati now has Burrow leading the way with Flacco right behind him and Josh Johnson in the third-string role.

It's a love for the game that keeps Flacco going.

"I had conversations with Zac (Taylor) about that, just like waiting versus signing and everything like that," Flacco said about re-joining the team now. "I don't think I'm gonna need to kill myself this off season. Training camp is what it is. I mean, training camps not even training camp anymore. It's not anymore. It's not like I need to avoid that, not to say that there isn't perks of that. But, you know, listen, being around the guys and playing football is what I like to do, and it's important to me to be to be out there doing that."

The veteran will be part of Cincinnati's offseason program when that gets rolling in the coming months.

Flacc is back. pic.twitter.com/eFxP3ZJZeh
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) March 25, 2026

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