Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

New Bengals QB Joe Flacco has perfect motivation to keep playing at age 40

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Oct 11, 2025 12:48 AM ET

After a trade to the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Flacco is relishing the new opportunity in front of him. But at 40, some may wonder why a player with a full resume actually wants to embrace a new challenge.

Set to get the start this Sunday in his first game with Cincinnati, Flacco was faced with the question often asked to older players. When directly asked why he still wants to keep playing, Flacco gave an answer that's impossible to not respect.

Joe Flacco answers the age-old question

"You only get a chance to play in the NFL once. I feel like I’ve worked really hard to be a guy that gets to play in the NFL, and I don’t want to take that for granted," said Flacco.

He also made it clear he wholeheartedly believes he can win games as a starting quarterback. Flacco just can't walk away as long as he has that feeling and desire to keep going.

"I still feel like I can play the game at a high level, and I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror when I’m 50 years old and say that I gave it everything I had."

#Bengals QB Joe Flacco was asked why he’s still playing at age 40 — after making so much money, winning a Super Bowl, and having a young family — and his answer was perfect:

“You only get a chance to play in the NFL once. I feel like I’ve worked really hard to be a guy that gets… pic.twitter.com/3Etf58GjAA
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 10, 2025

However, the odds of Flacco duplicating his success from two years ago when he joined the Browns midseason and subsequently led them to a 4-1 record and a playoff berth are slim. The Browns partly traded Flacco to Cincinnati so they could shift their focus to evaluating their recent draft picks.

After opening the 2025 season as the Browns' starter, Flacco struggled in his four games under center before being replaced by rookie Dillon Gabriel in Week 5. With a 1-3 record, Flacco completed just 58.1% of his passes for 815 yards. He threw only two touchdowns to six interceptions.

For the Bengals, they hope Flacco has something left in the tank as they try to salvage their season and find their way to the playoffs despite the loss of Joe Burrow.

As for Flacco, he has a career to be proud of no matter what happens. Through exactly 200 games played and counting, Flacco has 46,512 passing yards, 275 total touchdowns (259 through the air), 168 picks and a career passer rating of 83.8. And of course, he delivered the Baltimore Ravens a Super Bowl championship as the Super Bowl XLVII MVP.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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