Joe Flacco may not be having a great season yet, but the 18-year NFL veteran is not willing to give up just yet. After switching his bases from Cleveland to Cincinnati, Flacco does not see his age as a factor that should stop him from playing the game, where the average retirement age is not more than 28 years.

Ahead of his Week 6 matchup as the Bengals’ QB1 against the Packers, the veteran confirmed his stance on playing a premium position at 40. “I just feel like I have a lot to offer to a football team,” Flacco said to the media on Friday when asked about his motivation to play at 40. “I feel like I’ve put in a lot of work my whole life to get to this point. And I hopefully will have a long life when I’m done.”

The season, the Bengals are relying on the veteran to steer their sinking ship. After 5 weeks, they are 2-3 while the starter Joe Burrow struggles with a grade 3 toe injury. A few days back, Burrow posted a photo of healing stones, indicating he is trying hard to come back soon. But a grade 3 tear means his ligaments have completely torn off, and he is expected to be out of the game at least until Week 16.

As for the Bengals vs. Packers matchup, it’s a game that will serve both parties in a friendly manner. Flacco wants to prove his worth, and the team needs wins.

“I feel like I’ve worked really hard to be a guy that gets to play in the NFL, and I don’t want to take that for granted,” the veteran explained. However, he then also revealed a personal reason that keeps him going. “I still feel like I can play the game at a high level, and I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror when I’m 50 years old and be able to say that I gave it everything I had,” the Bengals’ QB added.

Well, playing at 40 is not something the NFL is unfamiliar with. Tom Brady retired at 45, while Aaron Rodgers is still going strong at 42. But to achieve that, Flacco needs to stay at the top level. And as we head into Week 6 football, Flacco has one fine opportunity to etch his name in the record books.

Can Joe Flacco break the record?

Joe Flacco is about to become only the seventh quarterback in NFL history to start against the same team twice in one season while playing for two different teams. It’s something that rarely happens, and only one player, Jack Kemp, back in 1962, has ever won both of those games. Now, Flacco has a chance to match that record.

If Cincinnati beats the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, he’ll become the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to defeat the same team twice in one season with two different franchises.

Just three weeks ago, Flacco faced the Packers as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. The Browns beat the Packers 13–10. Joe Flacco made key throws in the final moments to help set up the game-winning field goal. He finished with 21 completions for 142 yards and one interception, but most importantly, he led his team to victory.

Now, as he is set to face the Packers again this weekend, do you think Flacco will lead his team to victory once again? Well, if he does, it would be another special milestone in a long and surprising career.