Before he landed with the Colts, Joe Flacco was expecting to re-sign with the Browns. After previously stating a desire to stick in Cleveland, the veteran QB told NFL.com’s Nick Shook that he was a “little bit” surprised that he didn’t end up re-signing with the organization.
[RELATED: Colts, QB Joe Flacco Agree To Deal]
In 2023, Flacco didn’t find a deal until November when he caught on with Cleveland’s practice squad. With Deshaun Watson out for the season and Dorian Thompson-Robinson sidelined with a concussion, the stopgap was inserted into the starting lineup late in the season.
Flacco unexpectedly guided the Browns to a 4-1 record in his five starts, earning Comeback Player of the Year after completing 60.3 percent of his passes for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also started Cleveland’s lone playoff game, a blowout loss to the Texans.
Still, following an underwhelming 2022 stint with the Jets, Flacco’s 2023 campaign put him firmly back on the QB2 map. In addition to the Colts, Flacco also received interest from the Eagles.
“It was obviously a little bit different than last offseason, when I didn’t get any calls at all,” Flacco said of his 2024 free agent experience. “But even this offseason, I wasn’t really sure how it was going to go. It wasn’t like I played a ton of games last year or anything like that, but definitely grateful for Indy to reach out and have this as an opportunity.”
While Flacco’s re-emergence was a great story in Cleveland, Shook notes that the veteran didn’t fit the archetype that the organization was seeking behind Watson. The Browns ended up pivoting to a pair of new backups, adding both Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley to the mix at quarterback.
While Flacco was brought in to Cleveland to plug a temporary hole in the starting lineup, he was signed by the Colts to serve as a mentor to Anthony Richardson. In the ideal scenario, the 39-year-old Flacco would barely see the field in 2024, but the former Super Bowl MVP is more than comfortable in that role.
“Listen, I’ve kind of been in this role for a handful of years now,” Flacco said. “Obviously, last year was a little bit different cause I wasn’t anywhere, I was able to come in and play pretty quickly. But yeah, it’s just about being in the room with him and a lot of conversations naturally come up when you spend so much time together in a row. It’s just kind of I think being able to bring the experience and being able to help him simplify things and go out there and play fast and use his skillset the way he wants to.”
The Browns don’t want to make it obvious their expensive QB is garbage
I dunno. They do have 3 other QBs on the roster now.
And one of them who can easily unseat Watson in Winston.
Yup. Somethings rotten in Cleveland. I bet we can all guess what.
Why would the Browns want him back? They got in bed with Watson and drafted DTR plus signed Winston. It was clearly a one season thing
As a Steelers fan, I get that the contract given Watson was a whopper but it won’t surprise me if he has one helluva season coming. But bypassing Flacco and going with Winston seemed kind of odd, given what he did last year. Don’t know what his demands were or anything, but that team responded to him on the field
I feel as if Flacco being “mildly surprised” is most people’s equivalent of being “fundamentally shocked”.
I can’t decide whether I’m mildly surprised or fundamentally shocked by this comment. Flacco’s humility is a rarity among NFL QBs and as one of the most humble members of the PFR forum, I thought AK185 would give Joe a bit of support here.
Maybe I’m misunderstanding but I don’t see how that’s a shot at Flacco.
It’s not, crosseyed is a dope, as evidenced by his comment history.
And you, just a bloated troll who stalks others. If we put your brain in a bird, the bird would fly backwards
Have another hoagie
It wasn’t meant to be a shot. I was joking about how stoic Flacco appears on the field. Unfortunately I’m about as funny as Stan Kroenke’s mustache.
I thought that was the intention, so your joke landed for me!
Thank you!
Flacco has never been known as a guy that mentors young QBs, thus the Colts don’t seem like a good fit. He would have been a better fit with about six other teams that already have veteran starters but need someone to win a game or two due to injury.
Joe’s deamnor makes it look like, to us commoners, he’s indifferent to the well being of a teammate. It’s quite the opposite, though. Teammates appreciate him and it’s reciprocal. I got that tid bit of info from one of his former Baltimore teammates. Besides, have you ever heard a teammate gripe about Joe? Hell, no!
Flacco looked promising during most of those five regular seasons game, but his playoff game was a typical Flacco dud performance. Nobody should want Flacco at this point. Unless of course your depth chart of three QB’s crumble and there’s no one else with serious starting experience and two good legs available.
Exactly the Browns’ experience at the end of last season. Had Flacco won a playoff game or two for Cleveland, his case for retention would be stronger.
They wouldn’t have reached the playoffs without him!
They were 7-3 without him and a 5th seed. They ended up 11-6 and a 5th seed. Seems to me that he just didn’t screw it up
Plus 3 you are so right. The Browns now have the creep Watson, and crab leg thief Winston at QB 1&2. Hope Huntley gets the chance to show them both up. Browns are destined for last place finish in tough AFC North.
Watson paid for his special attention. There’s no information that there was violence involved. It is creepy what he did. And totally senseless, that as an NFL star QB and a young, fit, relatively good-looking guy, there was a line-up of enthusiasts willing to do whatever with him. But not criminal. Watson has paid the price for his extra-curricular activities and for his feud with ultra-creepy owner Cal McNair.
If you have something to say about his play, say it. Otherwise your comments are irrelevant at this point and suggest that you have some unhealthy obsessions of your own.
Watson likely had a hand in that decision. Can’t have anyone threaten his job, even if he’s extremely expensive trash
Watson liked other people’s hands in his decisions lol
Have you seen Flacco play quarterback in the last eight years? Have you seen Watson play quarterback in the last eight years? Flacco is not competition for DeShaun Watson.