Joe Flacco, at 40, Admits Being Nervous About Throwing to Ja’Marr Chase & Tee Higgins After Move from Browns

Joe Flacco has thrown for over 600 yards and 5 touchdowns since joining the Bengals.

Joe Flacco, at 40, Admits Being Nervous About Throwing to Ja’Marr Chase & Tee Higgins After Move from Browns

Joe Flacco, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins (Image via IMAGO)

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Despite playing 18 years in the NFL, Joe Flacco got cold feet thinking about throwing passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The results did not surprise Flacco when he finally mustered the courage and threw the ball.

Flacco wasn’t supposed to be in Cincinnati this season. The 40-year-old journeyman signed for the Cleveland Browns ahead of the 2025 season and played four games before getting benched.

He remained the second choice, but he could not turn down Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin‘s proposal to start in Cincinnati. Flacco moved from one dysfunctional franchise to another. However, the Bengals had two elite receivers, Chase and Higgins.

The chance to play alongside the triple crown winner and the best WR2 in the league was too good to pass up. Flacco’s first game as a Bengal turned out to be against the Green Bay Packers, the only team he had defeated with the Browns earlier in the campaign.

Even though this particular fixture should have been a walk in the park, hesitation crept into Flacco’s head. Speaking with retired NFL players Andrew Whitworth and Ryan Fitzpatrick on the Fitz & Whit podcast, Flacco revealed that he was nervous to throw passes to Chase and Higgins.

I know I’m 40 years old, but the first couple times I threw to Ja’Marr [Chase] and Tee [Higgins], I was a little bit nervous.

Joe Flacco said

Flacco wanted to prove that he was more than capable of throwing accurate passes and achieving positive results with top wideouts.

With those guys, especially, just put it somewhere around them, and they’ll make you look good.

Flacco said

It only took Flacco two weeks to swing the mood in Cincy. He has thrown over 600 passing yards and 5 touchdowns in two games, feeding Chase 23 targets in the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chase is already looking forward to winning the Super Bowl.

Joe Flacco set to face off against his former team

Flacco’s next opponent is a familiar foe. He is set to square off against his former team, the New York Jets, in Week 8.

Joe Flacco, at 40, Admits Being Nervous About Throwing to Ja'Marr Chase & Tee Higgins After Move from Browns
Joe Flacco (Image via IMAGO)

Flacco spent three seasons (2020-2022) in New York and started 12 games for the Jets before joining the Browns for his first stint in Cleveland.

Despite going through several changes in the coaching and quarterback department, the Jets have found success hard to come by. Owner Woody Johnson appointed former Lions DC Aaron Glenn and signed ex-Bears and Steelers quarterback Justin Fields ahead of the current campaign. However, the overhaul hasn’t yielded any positive results.

The Jets are the only team without a win. They are at the bottom of the AFC East with a 0-7 record.

Cincinnati is the overwhelming favorite to secure a fourth win (two on the bounce), as the Jets are moving closer to benching Fields in favor of Tyrod Taylor.

Taylor once shared the locker room with Flacco in Baltimore and will be on opposite ends at Paycor Stadium this week.

It’s awesome to see Flac still playing at a high level. He mentored me when I first came into the league. We spent four years together. … Excited for him, just not this week.

Tyrod Taylor said

The Jets hold the historical advantage with 18 wins from 29 previous meetings. However, they will be the underdogs on Sunday.

Joe Flacco has played 202 games since entering the league with the Ravens. He had thrown for 47,073 career passing yards, 14th all-time in NFL history, and 264 passing touchdowns, 21st in NFL history. 

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