Ian Rapoport Talks Breaking Joe Flacco Trade on Golf Course, Not Recognized by Group

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport recounted his experience of breaking the news of the Cleveland Browns trading veteran quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals while on a golf course.

"So I get the text, I get on social media, I process what's happening, I tweet it out as fast as I can," Rapoport said on The Insiders. "Threw my golf clubs everywhere, and it's a pause in my golf game. Now, I'm playing with two guys that I never met before until we started playing. So I do some stuff on my phone. They're like, 'Come on, we gotta play.' I'm like, 'Alright, fine.'"

"We get to the next hole and they go, 'What happened?' I go, 'Joe Flacco got traded to the Bengals,'" Rapoport added. "Guy looks at his phone and he goes, 'Yeah, the guy from NFL Network just put it out.' And I go, 'That was me.' He goes, 'Huh, weird.' And that is my story. It was very strange."

On Tuesday, the Bengals acquired Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick from the Browns in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round draft choice.

Cincinnati will be hoping that the 40-year-old can provide a spark to an offense that has struggled mightily after star signal-caller Joe Burrow suffered a toe injury that ultimately required surgery in Week 2.

The Bengals have averaged 12.3 points per game across three weeks since losing Burrow.

For the Browns, they'll continue to operate with 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel under center after benching Flacco on Oct. 1.