Age is just a number! This saying fits well with professional player Joe Flacco. At 40, Joe Flacco continued to forge his own path: a Super Bowl MVP, a playoff hero, and a veteran praised by huddles. However, he is not retiring and has returned this time with Bengal as a star QB, having been traded to Cleveland. In the case of Flacco, there is no extension of a career; it is taking a second chance in a league that does not favor a second chance for anyone. In a press conference with the Bengals, when asked why he is not retiring in his 40s, Flacco stated:
“You only get a chance in the NFL once. I feel like I have worked hard to be the guy who gets to play in the NFL, and I don’t want to take that for granted. 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.”
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To a player who has experienced the greatness of a Super Bowl victory and the flux and debilitation of being part of an inter-team journey, that statement is his circle of life. The star QB is no stranger to NFL business or how the phone can stop ringing easily. He had no hesitation when Cincinnati called.
Instead of living a life full of nostalgia, Flacco chose to live for purpose and a sense of being in the field. And that’s a forty-year-old quarterback that ends it all.
Joe Flacco Is Chosen As the Bengals Quarterback
Joe Flacco’s story is inspiring and backed by the production that has helped him demonstrate that he can still give his best when it matters. In the 2023 matchup with the Cleveland Browns, Flacco finished five games with 1,616 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The Browns scored 4-1 when Flacco was the starting quarterback, and he earned the NFL Comeback Player of the Month award.
These statistics clearly highlight Flacco’s caliber. He possesses a veteran presence and serves as a stabilizer, a star player who can read defenses, adjust to the tempo, and play under pressure to win.
The Bengals, in their turn, did not immediately pick Flacco as their quarterback. It was reported that the team considered many quarterbacks following the injury to Joe Burrow, which ended his season, as several possible replacements before trading in the Super Bowl XLVII MVP. Head coach Zac Taylor confirmed they were investigating everyone in the organization to make the right move. That hard work emphasizes the significance of their right choice. After careful consideration, they chose Flacco as their quarterback.
Cincinnati finally traded a fifth-round pick with Cleveland in the deal, receiving a sixth-round pick and Flacco, which created a roster vacancy by cutting Brett Rypien. What it was saying was that experience and composure were worth investing.
It was Flacco’s confidence, in turn, that was complemented by humility and hunger, as he said in the conference:
“I’ve put in a lot of work my whole life. I still feel capable of playing at a high level,” he said. “When I look back, I want to know I gave everything I had.”
The Bengals’ move is understandable, not only because of Flacco’s performance but also because of his attitude. He can play in another system, handle a locker room, and still compete at a playoff level, which is why Cincinnati has a fighting chance to remain relevant in the AFC.
The Bengals may have had some names in mind when they chose his name, but they ultimately chose the name that never gave up hope that it belonged to him. Flacco has not come late, but it serves as a wake-up call regarding what endurance, modesty, and readiness would have meant in a game built on short bursts. Follow for more such updates!
