Flacco Traded to Bengals, Named Week 6 Starter

October 12, 2025

Joe,Flacco,-,Nfl,-,December,2nd,2018,Atlanta,Falcons

At 40, Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco is rewriting the playbook on longevity and perseverance in professional football, joining the Cincinnati Bengals just days after his trade from Cleveland.

Story Highlights

Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals on October 7th.
Flacco, 40, has been named the starting quarterback for Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers.
The Bengals acquired Flacco in exchange for draft picks.
Head coach Zac Taylor cited Flacco’s experience and leadership as factors in the decision.

Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, 40, has been traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Cincinnati Bengals and is set to start in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers. The trade, which occurred on October 7th, involved the Bengals acquiring Flacco in exchange for draft picks.

Joe Flacco’s NFL career has lived so long that it has survived three Bengals franchise QB eras — and even resulting in him playing for the team… pic.twitter.com/jMfeSsPL6T

— Mr Commonsense (@fopminui) October 11, 2025

Head coach Zac Taylor announced Flacco as the starting quarterback with minimal preparation time, emphasizing the value of experienced leadership for the team’s playoff aspirations. Flacco, a 15-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl XLVII MVP, quickly began integrating with the Bengals’ offensive system and building rapport with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Flacco has publicly attributed his continued motivation to compete at a high level to his family’s support. The Bengals’ decision to pursue Flacco is seen as a strategic move to address the uncertain status of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow and to bolster the team with proven veteran reliability during a critical period. The trade involved a minimal cost structure, upgrading from a sixth-round to a fifth-round draft pick.

Watch the report: Joe Flacco Reacts to Bengals Trade, Eager to Lead Cincinnati Offense