Josh Johnson, a 39-year-old quarterback who holds the NFL record for playing with the most teams in league history, is heading back to Cincinnati. The Bengals signed the University of San Diego product to a one-year deal on Saturday, marking his third stint with the organization.
Johnson, originally a fifth-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2008, never attempted a regular-season pass in two prior Bengals stops. He spent the 2025 season with the Washington Commanders, stepping in as an emergency starter late in the year.
The signing fills the gap left by backup Jake Browning’s departure to Tampa Bay earlier this week. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the move on Saturday.
Johnson Stepped Up for Washington When Two Quarterbacks Went Down in 2025
Washington’s quarterback room fell apart near the end of the 2025 season. Starter Jayden Daniels, the 2024 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, was shut down with an aggravated elbow injury.
Backup Marcus Mariota then suffered a quad injury and a cut on his throwing hand, ending both quarterbacks’ availability for the team’s final stretch.
Bengals signed veteran QB Josh Johnson, who returns to Cincinnati for a team he played for during the 2013 season. pic.twitter.com/5Fcfz5SPkx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2026
With no other options available, head coach Dan Quinn turned to Johnson for consecutive starts in Weeks 17 and 18. It had been five years since Johnson last started a regular-season game.
The Commanders finished 1-1 in those two starts. Johnson had also entered the 2023 NFC Championship after 49ers starter Brock Purdy left with an elbow injury, postseason exposure most backup quarterbacks never get.
Per the team’s official announcement, Johnson has completed 242 of 412 career passes for 2,669 yards, throwing 14 touchdowns against 18 interceptions across 50 regular-season games, while adding 481 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 94 carries.
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Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Josh Johnson (14) runs off the field after a victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
With Browning Gone, Joe Flacco’s Decision Will Shape Cincinnati’s Quarterback Depth in 2026
The Bengals had actually considered a trade for Johnson last October, when Burrow sat with a foot injury and Browning struggled filling in as his replacement.
That trade never materialized. The team instead acquired veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns, after Browning went 0-3 in three starts, throwing eight interceptions in that stretch.
The Bengals did not tender Browning as a restricted free agent, allowing the 29-year-old to sign with Tampa Bay on March 11.
Johnson now joins Burrow and third-string quarterback Sean Clifford in Cincinnati’s room.
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Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Josh Johnson (14) runs off the field after a victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The unresolved piece is veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, the 41-year-old former Super Bowl MVP who made six starts for the Bengals last season and remains unsigned.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported March 8 that Flacco is targeting at least a competition for a starting job but would strongly consider returning to Cincinnati as Burrow’s backup if that market does not develop.
Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher spoke about Flacco at the NFL Combine, leaving little doubt where the coaching staff stands:
“He brought the perspective and ability that only 20 years in the NFL and 200-whatever starts can bring. There are not a lot of people walking the earth like that. We love Joe,” Pitcher told reporters.
If Flacco lands a starting job elsewhere, Johnson becomes Cincinnati’s primary backup for 2026. But even with that question still open, the Bengals have already made their position clear: the quarterback room will not be left as thin as it was last October.