Joe Flacco has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind, and after 18 seasons in the NFL, the veteran quarterback has earned that right. Fresh off a surprising Pro Bowl nod in what could have been his final season, Flacco opened up about one of the league’s most hot-button topics: roughing the passer.
On a recent appearance on This Is Football with ESPN’s Kevin Clark, Flacco didn’t mince words when discussing the NFL’s current quarterback protection rules. “I don't think it should be roughing the passer when they land on us,” Flacco said. “I don't think being slapped in the head should be roughing the passer.”
That might sound jarring in today’s NFL climate, where player safety is front and center and roughing the passer calls can swing games. But Flacco’s point isn’t about wanting to take unnecessary punishment - it’s about the inconsistencies in how the rule is enforced and how it affects the game’s flow.
“It honestly annoys me because it affects games in a negative way at random times,” he said. “They can call it or not call it. It needs to get out of the game.”
Flacco’s comments reflect a mindset that’s becoming increasingly rare in today’s league. He’s part of a generation that came up before the NFL’s current emphasis on avoiding head trauma and protecting quarterbacks at all costs. The league’s crackdown on hits to the head and body-weight sacks came in response to high-profile injuries - think Carson Palmer’s shredded knee in 2005 or Tom Brady’s ACL tear in 2008 - and the long-term effects of CTE have only intensified the focus.
Still, Flacco’s stance is clear: football is a contact sport, and players know what they’re signing up for.
“We signed up to get concussions. We signed up to get hurt,” he said.
“It is what it is. You might not like that, but it's what we kinda did when we decided to play this game.”
That old-school mentality doesn’t always sit well with today’s younger players, and Flacco knows it. “The guys coming into the league these days look at me like I'm crazy,” he said.
“Like, ‘What do you mean you want receivers to get laid out over the middle, and you want guys to land on you?’ I'm like, ‘Yeah, guys, that's football.’”
Whether you agree with him or not, Flacco’s perspective comes from nearly two decades under center, taking hits from the league’s fiercest pass rushers. And even at 41, he’s still showing he can handle the rigors of the game.
Joe Flacco went on a rant with @bykevinclark about how football 15 years ago was tougher.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 4, 2026
“I don’t think it should be roughing when they land on us. Or being slapped on the head is roughing. It affects games in a negative way.”
Full clip is must-watch. pic.twitter.com/2y5tQ5XtSs
After starting the 2025 season with the Cleveland Browns and going 1-3, Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals following Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury. With Cincy, he stepped in and delivered - completing 61.7% of his passes with 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions over six starts. Across 13 total regular-season games, he finished with 2,479 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 picks.
That late-season surge earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection - a remarkable achievement for a quarterback who’s spent the last few years bouncing between teams and roles. And while Burrow’s return will likely relegate Flacco back to the sidelines if he stays in Cincinnati, he made it clear that he’s not ready to hang it up just yet.
His decision to return for a 19th season will hinge on one thing: the chance to actually play. “It depends on opportunities to get on the field,” he said.
If 2025 ends up being his final ride, Flacco will have finished strong - not just statistically, but by leaving an imprint on three AFC North teams over the course of his career. From Baltimore to Cleveland to Cincinnati, he’s been a steady, sometimes polarizing presence - and his voice, just like his arm, still carries weight.