Former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco has spent nearly two decades in the NFL. The 6-foot-6 veteran has appeared in 209 career games since entering the league in 2008, throwing for over 48,000 passing yards and 272 touchdowns while leading the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl championship in 2012. Even into his 40s, Flacco has remained part of the league’s quarterback carousel.
During the 2025 season, Flacco appeared in nine games with the Cincinnati Bengals and threw for 1,664 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. This came after a four-game stint with the Cleveland Browns. While Flacco is well-liked in Cincinnati, he remains unsigned and facing a decision on his next team.
That decision became slightly more complicated this weekend following the Bengals’ latest move.
Bengals Add Veteran Quarterback Josh Johnson
On Saturday, the Bengals announced the signing of veteran quarterback Josh Johnson, a longtime NFL backup who has appeared for seven teams in his career. Johnson entered the league in 2008 (debuted in 2009) and has been a reliable depth option. He is currently slotted for Cincinnati’s backup role behind franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, assuming Flacco does no re-sign.
Johnson has appeared in 50 career games and thrown for 2,669 yards with 14 touchdowns (18 INT). His signing provides Cincinnati with an experienced quarterback behind Burrow, who is still the clear centerpiece of the offense alongside Ja'Marr Chase who had another dominant campaign.
With Johnson now in the mix, the Bengals’ quarterback depth chart leaves Flacco potentially looking elsewhere.
Joe Flacco Still On Bengals’ Radar
Less than a week before Cincinnati announced Johnson’s signing, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Flacco still hopes to land a starting job in free agency. However, the veteran quarterback would also be open to returning to Cincinnati if his market ultimately presents only backup opportunities. That possibility has not completely disappeared despite Cincinnati signing Johnson.
According to Geoff Hobson, the Bengals have “continued to express interest in Flacco as the NFL’s annual game of quarterback musical chairs begins to slow.”
If Flacco returns to Cincinnati, he would likely enter camp as the favorite over Johnson for the primary backup role behind Burrow. For a team built around Burrow, that still may not be what the 41-year-old Flacco wants at this stage of his career.
This is why Flacco could choose to wait for another opportunity elsewhere, despite what seemed to be a positive pairing between him and the Bengals in 2025.