Joe Flacco Highlights Opportunity With Bengals Following First Practices in Cincinnati

Cincinnati is hoping he can keep the train on the tracks.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco gets warmed up before an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sept. 21, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Joe Flacco is ready to take on the challenge as the Bengals' new starting quarterback. Flacco spoke to the media on Friday following his first practices with the team.

Cincinnati is relying on the 40-year-old passer to keep the season afloat as they try to break back into the playoff race at 2-3. It's been a whirlwind few days after an unexpected trade.

"I definitely didn't have this on my list of things that were going to happen so, but hey, that's this league, and I'm a player. I think most players would say the same thing. I like to play football, and if that's in Cincinnati right now, then I'm all for it," Flacco said to the media.

Flacco has played bad football this season, ranking 31st among NFL quarterbacks with a 27.6 ESPN QBR, with 4.6 yards per dropback and a whopping 4.2% turnover rate, but he's excited to reset the deck with a much more talented weapon group than he had in Cleveland.

"Obviously, I mean everybody you know can see what they've done throughout their careers, and the kind of players they are," Flacco said about Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. "I think it's exciting for anybody to kind of go out and see them play. So when you're the guy that gets to throw to them, it's just another level."

The work continues for the veteran on into the weekend as he goes through a speed run of learning the offense ahead of his first action for Cincinnati on Sunday against Green Bay.

"It's a little bit different to call because some of the terminology is a little bit different," Flacco said about the offense. "I think that's the biggest issue, is just kind of making sure I get in and out of the huddle the way I want to. I think once I break the huddle, I feel pretty comfortable. It's just a matter of getting in and out of the huddle and, you know, just continuing over the next couple days to make sure I can get even better at that."

Flacco is roughly 52 hours from debuting as the Bengals' starting quarterback.

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