Joe Flacco had a great answer as to why he’s still taking NFL-sized hits after reaching the wrong side of 40.
The 18-year NFL veteran fielded questions on Friday during his introductory press conference with the Cincinnati Bengals. With the Bengals struggling sans starter Joe Burrow, the team made the move earlier this week to acquire Flacco via a trade.
One reporter asked Flacco why he continues to play in the league despite already accomplishing most of what an NFL player dreams of doing. Flacco gave an answer that gave the impression he’s wrestled with the very question behind closed doors.
“I just feel like I have a lot to offer to a football team,” Flacco said. “I feel like I’ve put in a lot of work my whole life to get to this point, just in terms of playing in the NFL in general. I, hopefully, will have a long life when I’m done.
“But you only get a chance to play in the NFL once. I feel like I’ve worked really hard, like I said, to be a guy that gets to play in the NFL, and I don’t want to take that for granted. 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 be able to 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
Flacco’s answer became a trending topic on social media, with the clip garnering over 60,000 likes and 4.5 million views as of Saturday night.
Flacco has a Super Bowl ring, a Super Bowl MVP trophy, and nearly $200 million in career earnings. He’s already a made man. With nothing but love of the game driving him, Flacco still wants to play until his body can no longer take the beating.
With Flacco being traded to the Bengals, he’ll be doing more than just taking a paycheck to be a veteran backup. He’ll be tasked with the challenge of keeping Cincinnati afloat as Burrow recovers, a role he excelled at when the Cleveland Browns asked him to do the same in 2023.