Veteran quarterbackJoe Flaccowas hoping to land where he could battle for a starting job during the 2026 NFL season. Such an opportunity never materialized.
As a result,Flacco re-signed with the Cincinnati Bengalson a one-year deal to back upJoe Burrow.
While the 41-year-old was happy about the opportunity to return to Cincinnati, he was also blunt when addressing the NFL's lack of interest in him as a potential stopgap starter.
"Believe me, I wish I was the guy somewhere, and I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy,"Flacco told reportersat a March 25 media availability. "But it is what it is. And I'm not gonna let it get me down. I'm gonna be the person I am and just approach football the way I always have."
OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades
OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)
Flacco explained he wasn't trying to get completely "caught up" in his feeling slighted. However, he also noted those feelings will motivate him as he continues to seek NFL success.
"I feel like I have unfinished business," Flacco said. "That's part of why I'm still here and playing and doing all those things. Not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit. But at the same time, I'm very happy to be here."
Advertisement
The 2026 NFL season will be Flacco's 19th in the NFL. He entered the league as a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2008 and spent a decade as the team's primary starter, posting a 96-67 record across 11 seasons and leading the team to a Super Bowl 47 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
In seven seasons since leaving the Ravens, Flacco has largely served as a backup quarterback. That said, he made a combined 10 starts with theBengalsand Cleveland Browns in 2025 – his most since 2017, his penultimate campaign in Baltimore.
That is fueling Flacco's confidence, even after the free-agent market didn't develop exactly the way he expected.
"Listen, I'm a football player. I wanna go out there and play, and I still wanna show people that I'm better than you think I am, just like I always have," the 41-year-old said. "I understand that what I'm doing here is a little bit different than that, but it doesn't mean I don't still have those thoughts."
And Flacco remains adamant that he isn't done chasing potential NFL starting opportunities, even if he is presently locked in as a backup for the 2026 NFL season.
"I don't see this as the end," Flacco said. "That's just not how I'm viewing it in my mind. I feel like I can help a team win. And yeah, it may be in a different role here, but I do still think I can help this team win in that role."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Bengals QB Joe Flacco criticizes 'dumb' NFL teams for not signing him