Joe Flacco confident stepping in as
Bengals' starting quarterback against Packers
[October 11, 2025]
By CHARLIE GOLDSMITH
CINCINNATI (AP) — New Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco said
he wouldn’t still be playing at 40 years old if he wasn’t confident
he could play at the level of a starter.
After the Bengals traded for him on Tuesday and immediately tabbed
him as their starter, they’re counting on Flacco being correct.
“I think the best way for me to do it is just keep simple,” Flacco
said. “I think a lot of the times when you’ve played a lot of ball,
and when you’ve been around a lot of ball, you can get to the point
where you overcomplicate things and you just, you’re just making
things harder on yourself.
"So honestly, I think my experience, in this regard, is going to
help me, in the sense that I don’t have all the answers. Just keep
it simple.”
Flacco opened the year as the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback, but was
benched last week for rookie Dillon Gabriel. The Bengals were
looking for a quarterback following Joe Burrow’s toe injury in Week
2 and Jake Browning’s struggles the last three games.
That put the wheels in motion for a trade between the two AFC North
rivals.
“A lot of the times when you’re going through things as a player,
you just adapt,” Flacco said. “You go with it. I think with
everything in life, when things happen to you, you’re like all
right, how do we go forward? What’s the next step?”
Flacco’s next step has been learning a new offense on the fly.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Flacco’s football IQ and
professionalism have helped him hit the ground running. Flacco also
faced this week’s opponent, the Green Bay Packers, when Flacco was
with the Browns three weeks ago.
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Flacco completed 21 of 36 passes for 142 yards with
one interception and no touchdown passes in Cleveland’s 13-10
victory over the Packers on Sept. 21.
“You don’t want to just go get anybody, you want to
get somebody you think fits our offense and complements our
receivers well and has experience,” Taylor said. “A veteran guy who
has real playing experience, bonus that he’s played in this
division. His skill set complements our receivers and I think gives
everybody a lift here after three losses.
“We’re trying to push through it and guys have done a great job of
that, but I think this is just a lift of, ’Hey, we’re willing to do
anything to go find a way to win.'”
Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is questionable for Sunday due
to illness. He participated in the walkthrough, but was not present
at the practice. Taylor didn’t elaborate further on Chase’s status
for Sunday.
Flacco hasn’t had much time to gel with his new receivers, including
Chase and Tee Higgins, but he said that can be overblown.
“You can’t overthink it,” Flacco said. “I know everything you like
to talk about all that and the chemistry and everything. Those guys
are two of the best in the world at what they do. If you can’t throw
to them and get on the same page as them, then you are in trouble.”
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