When all seemed to be lost for the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Flacco found prime form.
In a battle of the ages for Flacco against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the one-time Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl MVP stole the night, leading Cincy to a 33-31 Thursday night triumph in Week 7 of this past season, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Eventually, of course, Flacco gave the Bengals’ starting reins back to Joe Burrow and the dust settled on a 6-11 season. Now, another offseason of uncertainty for Flacco has arrived.
Was the 2025 season his last? Or will he perhaps be back and look to sign on with the Steelers to join the only AFC North roster he’s yet to play for.
At this point, it appears as though Flacco is eyeing a return for his 19th NFL season.
“A lot of guys talk about falling out of love with the game or just kind of knowing,” Flacco said this week on the BMore Football Podcast, via the Baltimore Sun’s Bennett Conlin. “I don’t think that’s hit me yet.”
Flacco began the 2025 season as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback during his second stint with the club. He was later traded to the Bengals. All together, he completed 60.3% of his passes for 2,479 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He was a serviceable starter. At his best, though, the 41-year-old could still very much sling it. That was apparent in the aforementioned win over the Steelers in which he out dueled Rodgers, throwing for 342 yards, three touchdowns and led a game-winning drive.
“We talk about 40 being an old age, but in the grand scheme of things, I don’t really think you’re that old,” Flacco said. “I think we’ve had a couple guys in front of me that are the best to ever do it that have shown if you want to do it, you can still play at a high level.”
Bound for another offseason of free agency, Flacco could potentially be on his way to signing with his eighth NFL team. He’s had multiple stints with the New York Jets and Browns, spent single seasons or less with the Denver Broncos, Bengals and Indianapolis Colts, was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, but never played for them, and was the Ravens’ starting quarterback for the better part of 11 seasons, which included winning a Super Bowl.
After starring against the Steelers last season and playing for every other AFC North squad, it would be quite a career move to add a stint in Pittsburgh to his resume. Rodgers is also pondering free agency and/or retirement, so there could be an opening in Steel City.
It would be an odd turn of events, but Flacco wouldn’t shut the door on the opportunity.
“There’s something about the Steelers that seems a little bit different because they were our rival for so many years,” Flacco said. “But at the end of the day, I play football because I love it. It is a job of mine. If somebody is hiring me, that is a pretty big deal.”
So, it would seem that just about anything is on the table for Flacco and his football odyssey.
All signs point to Flacco being back in the NFL ranks in 2026.
“I’ve tried to come up with a good answer for everybody, but it’s a hard question to answer,” Flacco said. “I’ve played football most of my life. I think you think about an end. You do think about one day being done, but at the same time, year to year, you don’t really think about that. You’re just like, ‘Oh, offseason. Time to work out and get ready for the next season.’ And I think that for the most part, my head is still in that space.”