CINCINNATI, Ohio — Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco has had quite the journey in his 18-year NFL career. After 11 seasons with the Ravens including a Super Bowl win, he bounced around the league before coming off the couch to lead the Browns to the playoffs in 2023 and eventually to help the Bengals this season.

For Flacco, the contrast between playing and not playing presents one of the most significant mental hurdles. When asked on Wednesday at his press conference if his time in Cincinnati has impacted his desire to play longer, he revealed the psychological toll of being sidelined.

“I think when you aren’t on the field, there’s times where it’s harder to stay in the moment, and there’s times where it can creep into your head, like, man, what am I doing? Like, this isn’t that fun. This

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