Joe Flacco will once again wear a different uniform when he takes the field Sunday. Just a few days ago, the Cleveland Browns traded the veteran quarterback to the in-state rival Cincinnati Bengals.

Cincinnati received Flacco and a sixth-round draft pick in next year’s draft, while Cleveland picked up a fifth-round pick in the trade, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. 

On Friday, Flacco spoke to the media for the first time since his arrival in Cincinnati. At one point during the wide-ranging news conference, the Super Bowl winner revealed what keeps him motivated to continue competing in the NFL.

“You only get a chance to play in the NFL once. 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 40-year-old told reporters. “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 say that I gave it everything I had.”

Flacco was named the Bengals’ starter for the team’s Week 6 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Flacco reacted to the whirlwind he experienced this week.

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“Crazy business,” Flacco said. “You have to be ready for anything. That’s kind of what it was. Definitely didn’t have this on my list of things that were gonna happen. But, hey, that’s this league. And I’m a player. I think most players would say the same thing. I like to play football. If that’s in Cincinnati right now, then I’m all for it.”

Joe Flacco of the Cleveland Browns looks to throw against the Green Bay Packers at Huntington Bank Field Sept. 21, 2025, in Cleveland.  (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The Bengals were hoping to solidify their quarterback room after star player Joe Burrow sustained a toe injury in the season opener. Backup Jake Browning struggled when he was thrust into the starting role. Burrow underwent surgery last month but could return to action later this season.

Flacco said he’s been in contact with the injured Burrow.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco throws during the first half against the Detroit Lions Sept. 28 in Detroit.  (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

“I feel like I have a lot to offer a football team,” Flacco added. “I feel like I’ve put in a lot of work to this point. I feel like I’ve worked really hard to be a guy that gets to play in the NFL. I still feel like I can play the game at a high level.”

Flacco went 1-3 in his four starts with the Browns this season. But he did guide an underdog Cleveland team to a dramatic comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers. Flacco will meet the Packers for a second time this season on Sunday.

Dillon Gabriel was named the Browns’ starter entering Week 5. Shedeur Sanders was listed as the backup quarterback on the Browns’ depth chart after Flacco’s move to Cincinnati. The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Browns Sunday.

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Trent Mosley itched and itched, the discomfort of standing on the sideline — not his foot injury that held him out of action since Aug. 22 — weighing on the senior receiver.

The USC commit picked an exceptional time to return. Trailing by six, with 5:06 remaining in the game, Mosley took the snap in the wildcat formation and swerved his way into the end zone for a touchdown.

“It sucked just knowing I couldn’t go out there and help my teammates,” Mosley said. “Now I’m back and we’re getting better.”

The score and the hush of the normally raucous Santa Ana Stadium crowd told the story: For the first time in a long while, the Trinity League is up for grabs. Santa Margarita (5-2, 2-0) played Southern Section stunner on Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium, upsetting Mater Dei 7-6 to set the stage for a thrilling Trinity League finale after the Eagles took down the Monarchs (4-2, 1-1) for the first time since 2013.

“Incredible,” Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer said. “They’ve been playing like the best defense in the country all year long, every week.”

Palmer pointed to defensive coordinator Steve Fifita, who served as interim head coach during last season and decided to stay on the Eagles’ staff as the catalyst for Santa Margarita’s success. Mater Dei had only 175 yards on offense Friday.

“They’re [Fifita’s] heartbeat on defense,” Palmer said of the group, which includes Fifita’s nephew Dash, a senior linebacker.

Pound-for-pound, the defensive lines of Santa Margarita and Mater Dei wouldn’t budge.

Eagles senior linebacker Vai Manutai would secure a sack — while moments later Monarchs linemen Montana Loilolo and Matamatagi Uiagalelei stormed through for sacks of their own. Monarchs linebacker Shaun Scott forced a fumble and earned 1 1/2 sacks as the Eagles couldn’t break 25 rushing yards.

Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins never got comfortable — outside of a 10-yard touchdown strike to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt in the first quarter — eventually throwing an interception to Eagles defensive back Davide Morales as the third quarter came to a close.

“We’re right there, but we’re not quite there,” said Mater Dei coach Raul Lara, referring to plays such as Hopkins overthrowing wide receiver Gavin Honore for a potential game-winning touchdown, which instead became a turnover on downs with 2:06 remaining.

Lara continued: “This game of football is a great tool to teach young men life skills. Not everything in life is going to be perfect.”

Quarterback Trace Johnson of Santa Margarita could not get comfortable , tossing two interceptions into the hands of Mater Dei defensive back CJ Lavender Jr.

When Johnson found open space, it was thanks to Mosley.

For a team-high six catches for 51 yards, Mosley — who often lined up next to his brother Grant in the slot — helped set up the game-winning drive after freshman running back Adrian Petero hauled in a 59-yard catch to bring the Eagles into Monarchs’ territory.

Trent Mosley’s punch in and the point after — which was enough to win after a failed two-point conversion after Dixon-Wyatt’s score — now sets up unprecedented territory in recent Trinity League seasons.

Yes, Mater Dei and St. John Bosco (which defeated Orange Lutheran 48-0 Friday) will still be contenders.

But the Eagles, who also hold a win over Corona Centennial, can certainly consider themselves as contenders for the league’s crown — and maybe even Division 1 glory. Santa Margarita plays St. John Bosco on Friday at Trabuco Hills.

“We can go forever,” Trent Mosley said. “The culture we have, the bond we have — I know what we’re capable of.”

Philadelphia sports fans have a bit of a reputation for not always being the most upstanding of citizens.

If you’re wondering why, just ask the kid who had a home run ball snatched from his glove and given to the woman not-so-affectionately known as “Phillies Karen.”

You could also ask former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin.

Or some Pennsylvania State Police horses.

Or Santa Claus.

All that said, though, it’s hard not to feel a teensy bit bad for Philly fans after what they endured Thursday night.

The Phillies suffered a season-ending playoff loss (pausing here for L.A. fans to respectfully compose themselves — you’ve had plenty of time to celebrate after the Dodgers won 2-1 in 11 innings on a shocking throwing error by Philadelphia relief pitcher Orion Kerkering).

Then over in the NFL, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles were dominated by NFC West rival New York Giants 34-17 on “Thursday Night Football.” And in the NHL, the Flyers lost their season opener 2-1 to the Florida Panthers.

For any other city’s fan base, that might be considered the worst day ever. But believe it or not, Philly fans had to endure a similarly disheartening day nearly 42 years ago, according to sports statistician Greg Harvey.

Harvey pointed out on X that Oct. 16, 1983, was the only other time in history that one city’s MLB team team suffered a season-ending loss in the postseason while its NFL and NHL teams lost as well. And that unlucky city was Philadelphia.

That was the day that the Phillies, nicknamed the “Wheeze Kids” that season for all the veteran players on the roster, fell 5-0 to the Baltimore Orioles to lose the World Series four games to one.

Meanwhile, the Eagles were off to a 4-2 start to their season before losing that day to the Dallas Cowboys 37-7. It was the start of a seven-game losing streak for the Eagles, who wound up finishing the season 5-11.

The Flyers suffered their first loss of that season — 5-4 to the New York Rangers — after starting the year with five straight wins. Months later, they ended up finishing third in the Patrick Division before being swept out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Washington Capitals.

So maybe, just maybe, you might want to take it easy on the Philadelphia sports fans in your life — at least until the next time one or more them does something that makes the rest of us cringe.

And hopefully those fans extend the same courtesy to Kerkering. Maybe he’ll end up being the one person who can tell Santa Claus and the others that Philly fans aren’t all that bad after all.