Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Joe Flacco is annoyed by NFL's roughing the passer calls

By Anthony Farris | Last updated Feb 4, 2026 10:08 PM ET

Aside from the 6-foot-6 frame and $100-plus million, quarterback Joe Flacco is just like us.

Flacco, who'll be a free agent in March after a season that started with the Cleveland Browns and ended with the Cincinnati Bengals, used Super Bowl week (or Pro Bowl Games week for those that prefer flag football games being played in warehouses) to sound off on the NFL's annoying roughing the passer calls.

You know the calls. We see them a handful of times each Sunday. A defensive player breathes on Patrick Mahomes, and the next thing you know, yellow laundry finds its way onto the field. But the laundry toss isn't singular to Mahomes; it's for any signal-callers the minute a defender enters their personal space.

Joe Flacco sounds off on roughing the passer penalties

And Flacco's not a fan.

"I kind of came in as (the league's officiating) was transitioning," Flacco told ESPN's Kevin Clark on Wednesday. "So I still have that mindset. I don't think it should be roughing the passer when they land on us."

I asked Joe Flacco if the NFL has a quarterback development problem and he launched an impassioned take on how personal calls have changed games and hurt the position and sport.

"We signed up to get hurt, you might not like that but it's what we kinda did." Watch: pic.twitter.com/51fkGnMnGY
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) February 4, 2026

Louder for the people in back, Joe!

Flacco, 41, who was named a Pro Bowler for the first time in his career earlier this offseason, continued sharing his dismay for the league's handling of QBs with kid gloves.

"I don't think being slapped in the head should be roughing the passer," Flacco said. "It honestly annoys me because it affects games in a negative way. And they can call it or not call it. It needs to get out of the game."

Roger, are you listening?

"It's football, we signed up to play it," Flacco added. "I don't like it. We signed up to get concussions, we signed up to get hurt," Flacco continued. "It is what it is. You might not like that's what we kind of did when we decided to play this game."

Never mind the nearly 50,000 passing yards and stiff-arming of Father Time, Flacco's Wednesday comments are proof enough that he's no ordinary Joe.

Anthony Farris

Anthony is an Ohio-based writer with more than a decade of writing experience, including stops at FanSided, OutKick, and others. He's a fan of all Cleveland sports, which has, in turn, resulted in high blood pressure and what some might consider a drinking problem. Again, blame Cleveland

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