Joe Flacco will obviously be back for a 19th season in the NFL.
The former Super Bowl MVP is coming off of a whirlwind season which saw him begin the year as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns before he was traded a month into the season to the Cincinnati Bengals. Shortly after being traded to the Bengals, he would start the next six games due to injuries to starter Joe Burrow and backup Jake Browning.
Instead of signing with another team that would give him a chance to start, Flacco decided to re-up with the Bengals, where he’s entrenched as Burrow’s backup. The decision to re-sign with the Bengals came as a bit of a surprise considering Flacco’s self-admitted desire to go to a team where he would have a chance to start.
The 41-year-old quarterback — he’ll be the second-oldest quarterback in the league behind 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers — detailed why exactly he decided to re-sign with the Bengals on a one-year deal.
“I think my decision to come back there can fill you in on some of the thoughts that I have about the organization,” said Flacco in a one-on-one interview with Heavy Sports while talking about appearing in Netflix’s Quarterback series. “I felt like ultimately I had a really good relationship with a lot of guys on the team. I really liked the coaching staff and felt like I was treated well there. I think being open to all things and going in there with an open mind allowed me to kind of bond with a lot of people in that building and gave me a good taste in my mouth about returning. I’m excited about being back there.”
Why Joe Flacco’s Decision to Re-Sign With Bengals is Interesting
The decision to enter the season as an entrenched backup is a unique one for Flacco considering he has started 201 of his 209 appearances in the NFL. While he has entered seasons before as a backup, he has played the majority of his career with at least the chance to start.
That won’t be the case entering this season unless Burrow — the Bengals’ star franchise quarterback — suffers an injury.
Flacco expresses no regret over his decision to re-sign with the Bengals.
“If I’m making a decision, then I’m content and happy with that decision,” said Flacco. “It doesn’t mean it’s my ideal situation, and I still have goals. I might not be like 100% exactly what I wanted. But once I make that decision, I’m all in, you know. I don’t look backwards, and I’m not gonna feel bad about certain things. Like I said, I still have goals, and I think there’s a lot of guys on the team that have goals and desires, and are hoping to at some point get to realize those. I’m no different.”
Joe Flacco Doesn’t Have Retirement Age in Mind
When asked if he has a target age in mind for retirement, Flacco said he does not.
“No, I don’t have a target age,” said Flacco. “I really don’t. The biggest goals are to still go out there and play and win the football game. I’d love to be able to go play and win some football games. I don’t really think I have anything more specific than that.”
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