The Cleveland Browns have a starting quarterback for the rest of the season. He’s their fourth of the year, and he’s still on the practice squad — at least for now and possibly through Sunday’s home game against the Chicago Bears.
After years of topping and tormenting the Browns, Joe Flacco is now one of them. He’ll get his spot on the active roster soon, and this marks the start of Flacco’s third week leading the huddle and guiding a full-on playoff push. The Browns lost Deshaun Watson to a season-ending shoulder injury in the wake of their Nov. 12 win in Baltimore. Five days later they had Flacco in for a tryout.
The Browns have worked backward, sideways and on the fly with their ever-changing quarterback situation this season, but Flacco has solidified it. After he threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday’s win over a Jacksonville Jaguars team Cleveland could see again in the playoffs, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski conceded that Flacco would be the starter.
Browns’ opponents see it. Browns’ fans see it. His new teammates see it, too. There’s gray in Flacco’s beard, but there’s enough strength in his right arm to give this offense a chance and keep this postseason push going. Who is this guy only a few folks inside the Browns’ facility knew? What’s he doing to energize the offense and give hope that this all-in Browns season won’t go for naught?
Just recently, Flacco was tossing the ball around with his brother a few days per week near his New Jersey home in case an NFL team called. He started the 2022 season finale for the New York Jets, but he was not signed and did not participate in a training camp or any tryouts.
He’s 38, has been playing in the NFL since 2008, and 11 years ago was the MVP of Super Bowl XLVII. His first start for the Browns in Los Angeles on Dec. 3 marked the beginning of his 16th season.
