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Bengals coach: 50-50 if Joe Flacco plays vs. Bears (0:38)
Bengals coach Zac Taylor provides an update on Joe Flacco's status for Week 9 as the quarterback deals with a shoulder injury. (0:38)
Ben BabyOct 29, 2025, 01:35 PM ET
- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco is in jeopardy of missing Sunday's game against the Bears because of the sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder, coach Zac Taylor said Wednesday.
Flacco will not practice Wednesday, Taylor said, as the Bengals evaluate their options.
"We'll see what we can potentially get out of him tomorrow," Taylor said. "We'll just work through the week. I think right now it's probably at 50-50 on what will end up [happening] on Sunday."
Flacco suffered the injury late in this past Sunday's 39-38 loss to the New York Jets. He went to the locker room momentarily but returned to finish the game.
If Flacco can't play, the Bengals will go back to Jake Browning. He started three games this season after Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in Week 2. However, Browning struggled in that stint, which prompted the Bengals (3-5) to acquire Flacco from the Cleveland Browns via trade.
In three games in Cincinnati, Flacco has been productive. The 40-year-old has completed 64.3% of his passes for 784 yards, 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
Taylor said the Bengals will have a plan in place for Flacco this week as he prepares. The seventh-year coach cited Flacco's recent history of playing on short notice as an example of his preparedness.
"If anybody in this league can get by with minimal reps right now, it's him," Taylor said.
