Joe Flacco is making the most of his solo season in Ohio.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, the new Bengals quarterback — who arrived in Cincinnati earlier this month after a shocking trade with the division rival Browns — spoke about navigating life without his family, which is currently stationed in New Jersey.
“The good thing, I guess you can say, is I was in Cleveland by myself, my family is in New Jersey. We decided to do that this year because last year, we decided do it the other way, and this year we just said, ‘Hey, let’s keep the kids in their routine, see how that goes,’” said Flacco, who spent the 2024 season with the Colts.
“I used to see guys sitting at the bar by themselves eating and I used to feel so bad for them and now I realize that dude was in heaven.”
Not many of us can relate with being on a new team, in a new city, without our family, but many of us can relate to this. pic.twitter.com/FhSgSe6Jd8
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) October 22, 2025
“There’s been challenges with that. You know, I love being there, around them, and doing all of those things, but at the same time, they get in their routine, and they’re having a lot of fun back at home. And early on in the season, they came out to Cleveland, and they’re going to come out to this week’s game.”
Flacco, who shares five kids with wife Dana, added that while “there’s always a challenge of sitting in a room by yourself and being lonely,” he’s adopted a different perspective.
“For me, it’s trying to find ways to maybe stay over here a little bit longer and then, kind of take myself out of that mindset, call home, go sit at a restaurant by myself and realize that man, that’s pretty enjoyable to do,” he said with a smile as the media laughed.
“… I tell people all the time, I used to see guys sitting at a bar by themselves eating and I’d be like, man, I feel so bad for that guy, you almost want to go join him, and now I realize that dude was in heaven.”
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Though Flacco, 40, would prefer to be gathered ’round the table with his family and “hearing what the hell they were talking about all day,” he’s making the most of this new normal.
“If you have to do it, then you might as well take advantage of it,” he said.
Flacco began the 2025-26 season with the Browns, emerging as the starter from a pool of Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
The Super Bowl-winning quarterback was benched after a 1-3 start.
Enter the Bengals, who sought the veteran’s services after dropping three straight with Jake Browning under center. The backup replaced Joe Burrow in Week 2 following the starter’s turf toe injury and subsequent surgery.
Flacco has thrown five touchdowns and zero interceptions for the Bengals, and recently led Cincinnati to a thrilling 33-31 win over Pittsburgh in Week 7.
The Bengals (3-4) host the winless Jets on Sunday.
