Joe Flacco is set to back up Joe Burrow again with the Cincinnati Bengals, signing a one-year deal to remain with the team on Tuesday. However, the 41-year-old quarterback believes he should’ve landed a starting opportunity somewhere else.
When speaking with reporters after inking his deal to stay in Cincinnati, Flacco called out teams that weren’t willing to offer him a starting job in free agency.
“Not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit,” Flacco said of not getting the chance to compete for a starting job somewhere. “But at the same time, I’m very happy to be here. And that’s why I also don’t see this as the end. That’s now how I’m viewing it in my mind. I feel like I can help a team win.
“Believe me, I wish I was a guy somewhere. And I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy. But it is what it is, and I’m not going to let it get me down.”
Last season, Flacco started the first four games for the Cleveland Browns before getting benched. Shortly after, he was traded to the Bengals and became their starting quarterback as Burrow rehabbed from a toe injury. While Flacco won only one game in six starts for Cincinnati, he threw for 1,664 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, providing respectable quarterback play with Burrow sidelined.
But apparently that wasn’t good enough for other teams to let Flacco compete for a starting job in 2026. Not many teams added a potential starting quarterback in free agency this offseason, though. The Miami Dolphins signed former Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year deal to be their starting quarterback. The Atlanta Falcons added Tua Tagovailoa, with former first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. still rehabbing from an ACL tear. The Minnesota Vikings signed Kyler Murray following his release from the Arizona Cardinals to compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting QB job.
There are a few teams that still might not have their starting quarterback for the 2026 season on their roster. But the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to take Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and make him their starting quarterback, while Aaron Rodgers is viewed as likely to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers and start for them again.
Of course, starting jobs could become available as the offseason progresses and as quarterbacks get hurt in the regular season. For the time being, Flacco has his mind set on being the best possible backup to Burrow.
“I’m just going to approach my job like a professional and be the best I can be in my role and have fun with the guys that I have in this locker room,” Flacco said.
