Joe Flacco says NFL teams were 'dumb' for not considering him as a starter this offseason
Joe Flacco tossed 13 touchdowns against four interceptions with the Bengals last season.
After over a month on the free-agent market, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco decided to return to the Cincinnati Bengals. Flacco, 41, was extremely productive with the team in limited opportunities last season, tossing 13 touchdowns against four interceptions in nine games. Despite that success, Flacco didn’t get any starting consideration on the market, leading to him accept a backup job with the Bengals.
That development came as a bit of a surprise to Flacco, who called NFL teams “dumb” for not considering him as a starting-caliber player, per ESPN. “Believe me, I wish I was a guy somewhere," Flacco, 41, said Wednesday. "And I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy.
” After failing to find a starting job, Flacco opted to sign a one-year deal to return to Cincinnati. He’ll reportedly make $6 million, though his deal could reach $9 million based on incentives. He’s once again expected to backup starter Joe Burrow.
Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season While Flacco desired a starting role, he said he was happy to be back with the Bengals. It will, however, mark the first time in a couple seasons that Flacco won’t have a shot at the starting job. After a late-career resurgence in 2023, when he threw 13 touchdowns against four interceptions in five games while leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs, Flacco was signed by the Indianapolis Colts to compete with Anthony Richardson for the starting role.