NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
The Cincinnati Bengals added key depth behind Joe Burrow on Wednesday.
The Bengals announced they have re-signed 41-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco to a one-year contract. The contract is worth $6 million, but its value could reach $9 million with incentives, according to ESPN.
“I love the building,” Flacco said on the team’s website. “I enjoyed being there and I’m excited to be back with the guys.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on December 7, 2025. (Mark Konezny/Imagn Images)
The Bengals acquired Flacco after he was benched by the Cleveland Browns after four starts. Burrow was injured at the time and Jake Browning, who was the backup before Flacco arrived, was disappointed.
Flacco made six starts for the Bengals and played well, despite going 1-5 during that span. He completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,664 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, and the Bengals offense averaged more than 27 points per game.
Making Flacco’s performance more impressive, he played with the Bengals with an AC joint sprain in his shoulder.
Flacco was looking for a starting job in free agency, but after not getting one, he struggled with the reality that he might not play at all.
EX-COWBOYS STAR DAK PRESCOTT’S POSTS ON ‘GROWTH’ DAYS AFTER COUPLE DIVIDED BEFORE WEDDING
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 16, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
“I don’t know what plan A was. It’s hard to say exactly what that looked like, so you just kind of have to go with the flow,” Flacco said. “I have a good feeling there. The hardest thing for me is probably accepting the fact that I might not play.”
The veteran quarterback didn’t want to repeat last season with the Browns, when he was benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel after four games.
“I felt like I had to be careful with some decisions. I don’t want to find myself in another situation where I’m going to play four games like I did last year in Cleveland. I was a little nervous about it for some reason, and I was kind of thrown under the bus. I think it was time to be that guy, but I don’t know if I was ready to do it. It was just in the gut,” Flacco said.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) runs off the field before a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter of the Week 7 NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio on October 16, 2025. The Bengals won 33-31. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Flacco, at 41, is the oldest player to play for the Bengals.
He is 14th on the all-time list for passing yards and just 1,824 yards shy of 50,000.
In a perfect world for the Bengals, Flacco never gets on the field because that would mean Burrow stays healthy all season. However, if Burrow is injured, they can be confident that they have a capable replacement who can carry the offense at a high level.
