It's no secret and is still quite surreal that the Cincinnati Bengals went from fully supporting quarterback Jake Browning before Week 5 to trading with a division rival to replace him mere days later. That's how fast the internal perception around Browning shifted.
Long gone are the good ol' days of 2023, where Browning led the Bengals to a 4-3 record and kept their playoff hopes alive deep into the season in relief of Joe Burrow. Now, Cincinnati is leaning on Joe Flacco to take Browning's spot.
Can Flacco into the magic he displayed during his own 2023 renaissance in leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs? Or is the 40-year-old more washed than we realize, hence his getting benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel this past weekend?
Guess we'll find out the answers to those questions soon enough, whether it's definitive in Week 6's tilt in Titletown with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field or not.
The juicier, more immediate inquiries came toward Browning on Wednesday in the wake of his benching. To his credit, Browning didn't mince words or dodge accountability in the slightest.
Bengals QB Jake Browning 'pissed' about Joe Flacco trade, but takes responsibility
Whatever deserved criticisms Browning has earned in the midst of the Bengals' three-game losing streak that's dragged their record back to 2-3, you can't question his competitive mindset/dawg mentality. Unfortunately, this was the starting opportunity he thought he may never get again, and he fell flat on his face.
I would say it's enough to wreck a career. However, Browning has had to scratch and claw for every chance at hanging on in the NFL. He's been a firm QB2 to Burrow for several years now. It's a bummer that he regressed so much, triggering a desperate-but-necessary Flacco trade.
Although he threw eight interceptions across four games, Browning's words on Wednesday didn't sound like those of a man ready to throw in the towel on his pro football future (via ESPN beat reporter Ben Baby):
"Obviously, I’m pissed. And if I wasn’t pissed, then I shouldn’t be in this locker room. Just like the general theme for myself is,anybody that is going through some adversity, whether it's football or or personal stuff, you know if you go through it and deal with it the right way, there's no way you don't come out the other end you know a better version of who you who you were. So, welcome to pro football — if you don't play well, you're going to get replaced. That's what I'm going through."
Jake Browning took a few minutes to speak to reporters today. Spoke a bit about dealing with adversity after being benched: pic.twitter.com/hHznHJm6LH
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) October 8, 2025
The Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway also captured another key excerpt from Browning when he held court with the media. Browning doubled down on taking the blame, but also acknowledged the offensive unit is bigger than just him.
"I'm not dumb or arrogant enough to think that I didn't play my role in the offensive struggles. But I think there's a lot that goes into it."
Look, we can be honest here and say that the absence of a respectable rushing attack and a problematic offensive line didn't do Browning any favors. That said, he still put the ball in harm's way far too often with poor decision-making and evidently trying to force the issue.
Browning has attempted the highest percentage of aggressive throws (22.6%) among all qualifying QBs this season, per Next Gen Stats. For a former undrafted free agent with marginal-ish arm talent, that's being way too reckless with the football.
Flacco is at 15% in that category, but with a much more powerful arm even at this late stage of his career. That bodes well for Cincinnati's defense not having to come up with as many takeaways to keep the turnover battle close. The Bengals should stretch the field better, too, thanks to Flacco's superior arm strength.
Big ups to Browning for facing the music in the midst of what must be the toughest days of his football life — and he's had his fair share whilst logging years on the bench.
The good thing is, he's used to being a selfless teammate who helps the starter prepare. Shoot, who knows? Perhaps Browning can glean a thing or several from Flacco in the process of watching a hopeful Bengals turnaround from the sidelines.