Joe Flacco, 41, calls out ‘dumb’ teams for not to signing him to start

Joe Flacco has some words for teams that passed him over as a possible starting quarterback. 

The 41-year-old signal-caller signed a one-year, $6 million deal to return to the Bengals and back up Joe Burrow, but had held out hope he could do better than be a QB2 after his play last season.

“Believe me, I wish I was a guy somewhere,” Flacco said Wednesday, according to ESPN. “And I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy.”

“… Not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit. But at the same time, I’m very happy to be here.”

Joe Flacco #16 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. Getty Images

Flacco, who is entering his 19th season in the NFL, began the 2025 season as the Browns’ starting quarterback before being benched in favor of Dillon Gabriel. 

Part way through the season, Flacco was dealt to Cincinnati, where he threw for 1,664 yards and 13 touchdowns with just four interceptions across nine appearances. 

Flacco indicated that he thought that would be enough to get one more starting job. 

“I know enough not to get super tied up emotionally with certain things and how to think about how they might play out because you really have no idea,” Flacco said. “And who knows what those teams were thinking anyway, whether I was on their radar or not. I have no idea.

“It’s not really for me to decide. I think I can get caught up in all of that and say, ‘Why not me?’ and all that and be bitter about it.”

The No. 18 overall pick by Baltimore in 2008, Flacco won Super Bowl MVP in 2013 after leading the Ravens to the Lombardi Trophy. 

He spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the franchise but has bounced around in recent years, spending time with the Broncos, Jets, and Colts, in addition to his time with the Browns and Bengals.